Parking on pavements across Bedford Borough creates a “real hazard” but an investigation has found that Bedford Borough Council have limited resources to enforce parking restrictions so drivers may be escaping fines.
The Local Government Association (LGA) said councils need more powers to enforce parking restrictions “to save lives and make our streets safer”.
The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) sent a Freedom of Information Request to Bedford Borough Council to find the roads where parking on pavements was banned.
It found that Bedford Borough Council (BBC) has prohibited pavement parking on 101 borough roads but needs the support of the police on the roads that don’t have parking restrictions in place.
Read: List of roads in Bedford Borough with prohibited pavement parking (.pdf)
“The council is unable to take enforcement action against footway parking, where there are no parking restrictions in place,” said a Bedford borough spokesperson.
“In such locations, the police have powers to deal with obstruction of the public highway and are able to enforce against any vehicle that obstructs a footway or driveway.
“We have installed ‘no footway parking’ restrictions across the borough, where there is local support. These restrictions are enforced by the parking services team who are available at all times of the day.
“We continue to install ‘no verge and footway parking’ restrictions, where there is support from the local ward member and Parish Council (if appropriate).
“Such restrictions will require additional signing to be installed to enable enforcement.”
The LDRS approached Bedfordshire Police for comment on BBC’s statement about the police dealing with obstructions on the public highway.
Chief inspector Mike Chand, from Bedfordshire Police’s Local Policing team, said: “Enforcement of parking offences is in the first instance handled by the local authority.
“We would encourage motorists to park safely and considerately, bearing in mind dangerous obstructions to the road, other people’s property and pedestrian pavements.
“If a vehicle is reported to cause an obstruction which is considered to be hazardous to drivers or pedestrians, police have powers to intervene.
“The public can call 101 or use our online reporting service via www.beds.police.uk/ro/report.”
By John Guinn
Local Democracy Reporter &
Paul Hutchinson
Bedford Independent
