Parking is getting worse as car ownership rises — and Bracknell and Wokingham are feeling it. New homes are going up but roads and town centre space aren’t keeping pace.
The Government has announced it intends to give councils stronger powers to tackle pavement parking. It is understood the Lib Dems in Wokingham are in favour, though some very narrow streets may need exceptions.
In Bracknell, Cllr Guy Gilbe says the issue is obvious to anyone who walks the borough: “Anyone who walks around Bracknell Forest will have seen it: a pushchair forced into the road, a wheelchair user turning back, a visually impaired person edging along the carriageway because the pavement has simply disappeared under someone else’s bumper.”
“That’s why I warmly welcome the Government’s announcement that it intends to give councils stronger powers to tackle obstructive pavement parking.”
He stresses this isn’t about waging war on drivers where parking is tight: “This matters because it’s not about waging war on drivers in a borough where parking can be tight. In places where streets are narrow and residents do their best, a car slightly “tucked in” isn’t the real issue.”
“The real problem is the worst, most inconsiderate cases: vehicles that block the pavement entirely, swallow dropped kerbs, or leave a sliver of space that no buggy, mobility scooter or wheelchair can use safely.”
Gilbe adds that councils have been waiting for a response to a long-running consultation: “For years, councils and residents have been stuck in a frustrating loop — told to report it, then told it’s someone else’s responsibility — while the national consultation sat unanswered by the previous Government. The consultation closed in 2020; the response and a clear direction have only come now under this Government.”
He warns change won’t happen instantly: “It’s important to be clear: this is not something councils can switch on overnight. The necessary legal changes and guidance still need to be brought forward before the new powers can be used locally.”
Still, he welcomes the approach: “But the direction of travel is exactly right: a common-sense, locally-led approach that targets unnecessary obstruction, while keeping flexibility for streets where pavement parking is genuinely the lesser of two evils.”
“Pavements are not “overflow space” for cars. They’re part of our everyday freedom — to get to school, to the shops, to the bus stop — safely and with dignity. This announcement is a practical step towards streets that work for everyone, and I applaud the Government for taking it.”
Ted O'Neill, Local Democracy Reporter
