Pavement parking: Fife Council reveals how many motorists have fallen foul of new law
Almost 200 motorists in Fife have fallen foul of a new pavement parking ban.
It came into force earlier this year with £100 fines dished out from September 1 after a three-month ‘softly softly’ launch across the Kingdom.
The new law aims to improve the safety of pedestrians, particularly those with mobility issues or visual impairments, and parents or carers with pushchairs. Enforcement will also be taken against vehicles double parked or parked over kerbs dropped for pedestrians to cross.
The Footway Parking Bill was passed in Scotland in December 2023, but it was left up to local authorities to decide how and when to enforce it.
Fife Council got £188,000 from the Scottish Government to fund its roads assessment. The region’s 18 parking attendants have been given full training, and local area committees will have the power to agree any exemptions for specific streets. So far 40 have been noted from a total of 12,500.
Four weeks into enforcement, Fife Council has revealed that 193 Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) have been dished out.
Susan Keenlyside, service manager, sustainable transport and parking, said: "We understand the frustrations when people park on pavements and the need for a fair and reasonable approach to help ensure safer, more accessible streets for everyone, especially the more vulnerable members of our communities.
“We continue to work with communities to determine locations for exemption from the ban. As part of the new legislation we are receiving requests for enforcement from the public and are trying to meet these requests.
“We urge people to continue to park in safe, legal locations. This supports vital access for emergency services, public transport, and deliveries that keep our communities and local businesses running smoothly."
There are exceptions to the new law. It allows emergency services, roadworks, postal services, breakdown or accident assistance vehicles to park on the pavement for as long as is necessary. Delivery or collection services can park for a maximum of 20 minutes. They must only park on the pavement if essential for their work, must leave at least 1.5 metres of clear space for pedestrians, and stay only as long as necessary.