Government response to pavement parking consultation “fails to deliver the safety blind and partially sighted people need,” charity says

Devolving powers to local authorities rather than imposing a national ban on pavement parking leaves those with sight impairments at risk, the Thomas Pocklington Trust says

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Bhavini Makwana, a South Asian woman, stopped on a pavement with her Guide Dog who has its hind legs on the road. Bhavini is blocked from walking further because a car is parked on the pavement. The guide dog appears ready to lead her out on to the road

Bhavini Makwana, Thomas Pocklington Trust

Lucy Miller

14 January 2026

A decision to devolve the issue of pavement parking to local authorities does not go far enough to protect blind and partially sighted people, The Thomas Pocklington Trust has said.

A long-awaited response on a consultation on pavement parking, which can impair the ability of blind and partially sighted people to move around their local areas safely, was published last week (Thursday 8 January).

The response details how the Government plans to allow councils to decide whether and how to prohibit pavement parking in their areas.

Local authorities will also be given interim powers to enforce action against pavement parking where it causes an ‘unnecessary obstruction,’ the report said.

“Serious concerns” around pavement parking highlighted

The decision not to impose a national ban on pavement parking in England “falls short of the decisive action that blind and partially sighted people, disabled people and campaigners have long called for,” the Thomas Pocklington Trust said.

Evidence in the consultation highlighted “serious concerns around inconsistent, under‑resourced enforcement and the risk that pavement parking will continue to be treated as a low priority,” the charity believes.

The consultation showed strong public support for a national ban, with 71% of 15,381 respondents favouring an England-wide prohibition on the practice.

The Thomas Pocklington Trust called pavement parking “a daily safety risk.”

The charity noted that vehicles blocking pavements often mean blind and partially sighted people and guide dogs have to walk in the road for extended periods of time.

Concerns around safety can stop people from being able to access their local communities safely and can restrict independence, the charity emphasised.

Bhavini Makwana, a guide dog user and policy and campaigns manager at the Thomas Pocklington Trust, said: “Pavement parking has turned simple, everyday journeys into moments of fear and anxiety for me.

“When a car blocks the pavement fully or even partially, my guide dog and I are forced into the road just to continue our journey. That puts us in immediate danger, not because we’ve done anything wrong, but because someone chose convenience over consideration.”

Makwana added: “This isn’t a rare occurrence. It happens almost daily: vehicles spilling out of driveways, delivery vans unloading onto pavements, drivers blocking crossing points with no thought for others. Each time, we’re left vulnerable.”

The Government’s decision to place responsibility for the issue on local authorities fails to provide certainty and “means every time I step outside, I’m left wondering what dangers lie ahead,” Makwana said.

A continuing campaign against pavement parking

The consultation on pavement parking was completed in November 2020, under the previous Government.

Campaigners at the Thomas Pocklington Trust and other charities, including Guide Dogs UK, have been calling for a response to the consultation for the past five years.

Guide Dogs made the issue of pavement parking their top priority during the 2025 political party conference season, with the charity’s chief executive, Andrew Lennox, telling OT at the time that “The ability to block someone getting out into the world is a significant impediment to people, especially those with visual impairment.”

Publication of the response does not change Thomas Pocklington Trust’s position and will not mark the end of their campaigning, the charity said.

“We continue to call for a national pavement parking ban, with exemptions clearly set out in law, so that pavements are safe and accessible everywhere, not just where enforcement happens to be prioritised,” the charity emphasised.

“We will continue to challenge the Government to go further and work with both national and local decision‑makers to ensure the work continues. Until blind and partially sighted people can travel independently and safely on the pavement, this issue is not resolved.”

Makwana emphasised that “a national ban on pavement parking is essential. Not optional. Not dependent on postcode priorities.”

A ban would “protect the safety, dignity, and independence of blind and partially sighted people and our guide dogs everywhere,” she said, adding: “Accessible streets are not a luxury. They are a right.”