Map reveals areas where you could be fined £100 for parking on pavement – check to see if you’re affected
A NEW map has revealed the areas where you could be fined £100 for parking on the pavement.
The new ban - which came in place from today - covers an entire region of the UK but has been thrown into chaos by legal uncertainty.
Scotland has now become the first UK nation to entirely ban the irritating practice, giving councils the power to hand out £100 fines to offending drivers.
While it was already an offence to block a public highway, now any pavement parking is forbidden regardless of whether it proves obstructive.
Previously, only London had implemented similar measures, with all 32 boroughs issuing penalties in relation to them.
However, it has since been revealed that a third of the local authorities in Scotland do not have the Decriminalised Parking Enforcement powers which would allow them to enforce the ban.
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Councils including the Western Isles, Orkney and Shetland say they won't be handing out fines, while others have suggested it could take until 2025 for them to do so.
Only Edinburgh is set to entrench the rules in the immediate future, with the city implementing the ban from next month.
Dundee, though, is soon to follow, having already drawn up a list of exempted roads, while the Highlands could see enforcement begin in February.
Several are estimating a start date of 2024 with a potential further "grace period" to allow motorists to adjust to the change.
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As for the situation in the rest of the UK, the Highway Code currently states that drivers should not park on pavements.
However, it does not state that they "must not", which is the phrase that indicates rules that can be enforced by legal compulsion.
As such, the current road laws only advise against pavement parking rather than expressly forbidding it. (You also shouldn't cycle on the pavement).
Stuart Hay, Director of pedestrians’ charity Living Streets Scotland said: “Parking on the footway is inconvenient for us all and incredibly dangerous for older and disabled people, who are forced into the road and oncoming traffic.
“Mass exemptions seriously undermine the ban and will put people at risk if they aren’t introduced following rigorous assessments and consultation.
“Without sufficient enforcement capacity, many groups, including disabled people, will feel badly let down. We want to see targeted and proactive action in known hotspots.”
Full list of Scots Councils and their intentions:
Aberdeen City: Expect to implement enforcement ‘early 2024’.
Aberdeenshire: In the process of making ‘a small number of exemptions’ to new law.
Angus: Enforcement due to kick in early next year.
Argyll & Bute: Awaiting further details from the Scottish Government.
Clackmannanshire: Reviewing powers and plan next step in .
CNE-Siar: Won’t implement – no powers to.
Dumfries and Galloway: Can’t enforce – no DPE powers.
Dundee: Have already draw up exempted roads.
Edinburgh: First to enforce ban next month.
East Ayrshire: Paper going to cabinet next month.
East Dunbarton: Expect enforcement ‘midway through 2024’.
East Lothian: Will not complete work before end of 2024.
East Renfrewshire: Considering implications of new Regulations.
Falkirk: All A & B roads assessed for scheme eligibility.
Fife: Ban won’t be enforced until exemption routes agreed.
Glasgow: Meeting next May to decide approach.
Highland: Hope to start enforcement in February
Inverclyde: Unable to say when implementation will begin.
Midlothian: Enforcement to begin financial year 2024/25.
Moray: Having discussions on costs and .
North Ayrshire: Expect to implement enforcement next year.
North Lanarkshire: Implementation in spring at the earliest.
Orkney: Unable to enforce. No DPE powers.
& Kinross: Enforcement not until ‘well into 2024’.
Renfrewshire: Enforcement not until 2024.
Scottish Borders: No implementation ‘for the time being’.
Shetland: Cannot enforce – no DPE powers.
South Ayrshire: Plan to enforce but street surveys still to take place.
South Lanarkshire: Enforcement will depend on ‘resources available’.
Stirling: Preparing for implementation.
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West Dunbartonshire: Can’t say when scheme will begin. Assessments underway.
West Lothian: Cannot say when implementation will happen – no DPE powers