Responding to the announcement from Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins on plans to tackle inconsiderate pavement parking, Ulster Unionist MLA Andy Allen MBE, who has long campaigned on this issue, welcomed the commitment to introduce secondary legislation but warned that the proposed measures, in isolation from enforcement and awareness, will not be enough to address the wider problem.

East Belfast MLA and Disability Rights campaigner Andy Allen MBE said,

“I welcome this long overdue step to finally bring forward legislation aimed at tackling inconsiderate pavement parking. For far too long, those with reduced mobility, visual impairments, parents with prams, and older people have been forced onto the road because of blocked footpaths and dropped kerbs. The Minister’s action is a positive and necessary first step.

“Banning vehicles parked wholly on pavements, across dropped kerbs, and double parking is a start, but without proactive enforcement and awareness it won’t deal with the problem. Existing parking restrictions are already routinely ignored, particularly in residential areas and around schools, where enforcement is limited or almost non-existent. Unless this legislation is backed by a robust enforcement plan and the resources to deliver it, it risks becoming another well-intentioned but ineffective measure.

“The most common type of obstructive pavement parking involves vehicles that are not parked entirely on the pavement but still obstruct a large section of it, forcing pedestrians onto the road. I would therefore call on the Minister to outline how the Department intends to address this form of pavement parking. I appreciate that this is not an issue that can be easily resolved, particularly given the volume of vehicles on our roads and the fact that many residential streets were never designed to accommodate modern levels of on-street parking. Nonetheless, it remains a widespread and fundamental problem that must be tackled.

“Any new law must be shaped by the lived experience of those most affected, people with disabilities, families and pedestrians. It also needs clear public guidance so drivers understand where parking is permitted and where it’s not. Otherwise, confusion and frustration will continue.

“This announcement is welcome as a first step, but the Department must also set out how it intends to tackle the most widespread aspect of pavement parking. Is the Minister satisfied that existing legislation is sufficient, and if so, how will it be enforced? The reality on the ground is that most people are affected by this form of pavement parking.

“Additionally, without a clear enforcement plan and education, the fundamental issue of inconsiderate pavement parking will remain unresolved.”