GLASGOW has followed in Edinburgh’s footsteps by enforcing a pavement parking ban, meaning that fines of up to £100 will be issued to offending motorists.
Edinburgh’s ban came into place in January 2024, and over 5,000 fines have been handed out since then.
Now, Glasgow is ready to hand out similar punishments for pavement parking, double parking, and dropped kerb parking.
These measures prevent walkers and wheelers from having to take the risk of walking on roads to avoid illegally parked cars, and also protect pavements from developing potholes.
The enforcement of pavement parking in Glasgow was phased in over February, and over 400 warnings were given out over this period.
As set out by the Scottish Government as part of the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019, local authorities have been able to enforce the ban since December 2023.
Authorities are able to select certain streets and pavements to be exempt from the regulations, due to reasons such as insufficient parking space on the roads.
City of Edinburgh councillors voted yesterday to add another area under the remit of the pavement parking ban, despite concern from residents that parking will then be displaced and concentrated elsewhere.
The Bangholm neighbourhood in North Edinburgh contains many narrow streets, causing cars to often park on pavements or to mount pavements when passing cars parked on the street.
Councillors voted to place double yellow lines on several of the busiest roads in the area, though conservative councillor Marie-Clair Munro proposed that pavement parking be allowed to make the roadways wider.
Residents expressed concern over a pavement parking ban leading to cars being left elsewhere in the neighbourhood, which is cornered by Ferry Road and Craighall Road.
Despite this, a ban was supported in order to prioritise the needs of pedestrians and wheelers.
An assessment in Glasgow has found that there is no exemption to the pavement parking ban on most streets, which comply with rules that maintain routes are wide enough for fire engines to pass when cars are parked on both sides of the road.
Any pavement parking that causes risk to public safety by forcing pedestrians onto the carriageway will generate a fine of £100, reduced to £50 if paid within 14 days.