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The Government has signalled that it plans to introduce new legislation aimed at tackling pavement parking, a move that could lead to fines for drivers who leave their vehicles on footpaths.
By the end of 2026, ministers are expected to publish statutory guidance that would allow local councils to issue penalties when vehicles are deemed to be unnecessarily blocking pavements.
The issue was raised this week during a written parliamentary question by Labour MP James Naish, who asked for an update on progress toward creating a new legal category for vehicles that park fully on pavements.
In its response, the Department for Transport said it intends to give local authorities the authority to penalise drivers whose vehicles obstruct footpaths, according to a report by the Manchester Evening News.
Labour MP for Nottingham South, Lilian Greenwood, confirmed that on 8 January 2026 the Transport Secretary published the government’s formal response to the 2020 public consultation titled “Pavement parking: options for change,” outlining proposed legislative steps to address the issue.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Local Transport explained that local councils will initially be granted powers in 2026 to issue Penalty Charge Notices to vehicles that unnecessarily block pavements. At a later stage, the government plans to introduce primary legislation allowing local transport authorities to ban pavement parking across their entire areas on an opt-in basis.
Authorities will also be able to exempt specific locations—such as narrow streets—where pavement parking may still be required to keep traffic moving. In areas without a strategic transport authority, unitary authorities and county councils will also have the option to adopt these powers.
Separately, Green Party MP Siân Berry questioned how the government plans to avoid regional differences in the enforcement of pavement parking rules and asked when statutory guidance would be made available to councils.
Responding again, Greenwood reiterated that the government’s January 2026 response to the public consultation sets out the framework for addressing pavement parking, adding that statutory guidance will be issued by the end of 2026 to help councils enforce the rules in a fair and proportionate way.
