A new law has just been introduced in Scotland that will see any driver who parks their vehicle’s wheels on the pavement given a £100 fine. The law covers double parking, pavement parking and parking at a dropped kerb if Scottish councils actually implement the new  rule (see below).

The aim of the law is to stop selfish drivers from blocking pavement access for people pushing baby buggies as well as those with visual impairments or mobility issues. The ‘good’ news is if you pay the fine within 14 days, the penalty drops to £50.

Country first

Fiona Hyslop, Scottish Minister for Transport, explains the new law is designed to go beyond simple obstruction issues: “Scotland is the first of the four nations to make pavement parking illegal nationwide,” she says.

“This change in legislation is a step towards developing communities that are better able to support active travel, building on the work that is already underway to reduce emissions and helping us meet our world-leading climate change targets.”

Coming soon?

The only other place in the UK where it is currently illegal to park on the kerb is London – but the law could be rolled out nationwide depending on the results of the inquiry started by the UK government back in 2020.

Right now though, it means – outside of London and Scotland – you can only be done for parking on the kerb if the police judge your parking to be causing an obstruction. However, this is not likely to happen considering the strain the force is currently under.

Note of caution

The RAC’s Simon Williams has sounded a note of caution about the new Scottish law, telling AutoExpress magazine that, “we very much hope councils don’t rush into handing out tickets but instead focus on educating drivers about the change.”

This educational approach is already one being adopted by Aberdeenshire with the council stating it will try to educate motorists about the new law, rather than begin issuing fines straight away.

Also, the RAC believes that if the UK government does decide to go ahead with a similar scheme, it must avoid an outright ban on pavement parking due to the costs associated with rolling out such a scheme in first place.

Instead, Williams says, “we would like to see local authorities given enforcement powers to deal with unnecessary obstruction of the pavement.”

Moving forward

The first Scottish council to officially introduce the new law will be Edinburgh from January onwards.

Other councils are expected to follow in 2024. However, some have already stated that they don’t have the power to enforce the ban (such as Orkney, Dumfries and Galloway) or have not started drawing up implementation plans yet (including Scottish Borders).

Ultimately, it’s a shame that such laws are required in the first place. Remember, if you park on the kerb, you could end up forcing a wheelchair user or baby buggy pusher to move out into the road to get past your vehicle – and that puts their lives in danger.

So if you need to park, park properly, safely and considerately.

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