Agenda item

The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“1.0      Purpose of Report or Summary of main Issues

            The purpose of this report is to update Members on the draft submission to the DFI Inconsiderate Pavement Parking consultation that closed on 18th March 2022.  A draft response was submitted on behalf of Belfast City Council on the basis that it remains subject to agreement by this committee, and subsequent Council ratification in May.

2.0       Recommendations

            The Committee is asked to:

            Approve the Council’s draft response submission to the DFI Inconsiderate Pavement Parking consultation enclosed with this report at Appendix 2. Members are asked to note that a draft response was submitted by the closing date of 18 March 2022 on the basis that it remains subject to the approval of this Committee and subsequent Council ratification in May.

3.0       Main report

            Background

            The Department for Infrastructure is seeking a resolution to the difficulties caused by inconsiderate parking on the pavement.  Initial exploratory work undertaken by the Department is presented in the document Inconsiderate Pavement Parking – An options paper (Appendix 1).  The paper provides background on the issue, looks at the position elsewhere in the UK and Ireland and sets out some associated considerations before setting out what the Department considers would be the most practical options for dealing with the issue.

            Context

            There is currently no legislation in place to stop vehicles from inconsiderate or obstructive pavement parking and it is clear that this presents dangers to pedestrians, especially people with disabilities and parents or carers with prams and young children. While drivers often think they are doing the right thing by keeping the road clear for other motorists they fail to recognise that this blocks the pavement for those who walk, wheel or cycle. It can also force these people onto the road placing them at a high risk of harm.

            The options being considered by the Department and which the consultation sought views on, are the following:

            Option 1: introduce individual bans using the Department’s existing powers.

            Option 2: introduce an outright ban on pavement parking possibly with some exceptions.

            Option 3: introduce powers that would allow the Department’s Traffic Attendants to enforce against vehicles found to be parked on the pavement and causing an obstruction.

            The Department also sought views on how to deal with vehicles parked across dropped kerbs which have been lowered specifically to help people cross the road.

            Belfast City Council Draft Consultation Response

            Members are asked to approve the Council’s draft consultation response submission to the DFI Inconsiderate Pavement Parking – Options Paper, as included within Appendix 2 of this report. Given the tight timeframes for the submission to the consultation this response was submitted in line with the timeframes outlined within the Consultation, however, included a caveat that the response remains subject to agreement by the City Growth and Regeneration Committee, and subsequent Council ratification in May. Officers will advise the consultation team of any further comments or amendment requests following this Committee meeting and the Council meeting in May.

            The draft response sets out the Council preference for Option 2 - introduce an outright ban on pavement parking, possibly with some exceptions out of the three options presented within the Department’s options paper. This option most closely aligns with the Council’s Car Parking Strategy. It is also supported by the visioning principles of A Bolder Vision for Belfast, particularly principles two and three which seek to prioritise active travel, end car dominance, and promote safer streets for those who walk, wheel or cycle.

            The response also notes that there can be no one-size-fits-all resolution to the issue of inconsiderate pavement parking or obstruction of blocked kerbs and that proper and meaningful consultation will be required. Clearly Disability and Inclusive Mobility Advisory groups such as IMTAC should be consulted to provide expertise and insights prior to a final decision being made. However, it is felt that it would be beneficial for everyone, not just people with disabilities, for an outright ban on pavement parking to be introduced, with the only exceptions being emergency situations.

            The draft consultation response also highlighted the issue of inconsiderate parking within the inner-city residential areas where parking availability is particularly constrained. We propose that there is improved management and regulation measures in city residential areas proportionate to location specific layout and viability, in recognition that many streets are not designed to accommodate current volumes of traffic and vehicle numbers.

            Financial & Resource Implications

            None associated with this report.

            Equality or Good Relations Implications/Rural Needs Assessment

            The implications of the Equality or Goods Relations Implications and Rural Needs Assessments will need to be undertaken forward by the Department for Infrastructure in line with their own policy positions and prior to undertaking an implementation.”

In response to a request from a Member, the Director of City Regeneration and Development agreed that she would include a request to address inconsiderate parking within cycle lanes in the response submission.

The Committee approved the Council’s draft response submission to the DFI Inconsiderate Pavement Parking consultation, including the aforementioned inclusion, and noted that a draft response had been submitted by the closing date of 18 March 2022, on the basis that, it remained subject to the approval of the Committee and subsequent Council ratification in May.