Pavement Parking Ban

Date: Thursday 31 October

Perth and Kinross Council will begin enforcing the national pavement parking ban on 6 January 2025. The national ban was introduced by Scottish Government in December 2023 and Local Authorities are in different stages of implementing enforcement. The Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 prohibits pavement parking, double parking, and parking across dropped kerbs. The law aims to improve the safety of pedestrians, particularly those with mobility issues, visual impairments, and parents or carers with pushchairs. Additionally, pavements are not designed to bear the weight of vehicles, and persistent parking can cause significant damage.

Perth and Kinross Council now have the power to enforce this law, and we will begin issuing fines through Penalty Charge Notices (PCN) of £100, reduced to £50 if paid within 14 days, from 6 January 2025. However, a period of soft enforcement with polite notices will be issued from 1 November 2024. This will allow us to educate drivers and residents before any fines are issued.

Independent consultants carried out an assessment of around 2000 streets in PKC to assess the different levels of pavement parking. PKC has written to residents in streets that have been identified as having a significant pavement parking problem. A copy of the letter along with the FAQ’s that were sent out to help residents and drivers adjust to the new rules is included here. A MyPKC service has been introduced to help manage enquiries and residents will be directed to there. Incorrect parking on footways, double parking, and parking at dropped crossing can be reported using the MyPKC service. Whilst every report will be reviewed, the Council may not always be able to attend every street where incorrect parking is reported.

The message from Transport Scotland is clear. Pavement parking is unsafe, unfair, illegal, and offenders could be fined up to £100 for committing an offence.

If you can’t park your vehicle fully on the carriageway without blocking the road for emergency and service vehicles, then you should park somewhere else.

Further information can be found on the Perth and Kinross website and FAQs are included here.