8VERGE OR FOOTWAY PARKING
GENERAL
8.1 In London, parking is not permitted on the footway or verge unless a resolution of the local authority under section 15(4) of the Greater London Council (General Powers) Act 1974 authorises the provision of parking places, either partially or wholly on the footway. Elsewhere, vehicles are not specifically prohibited from parking on the footway or verge (although it is unlawful to drive on the footway), unless (a) an order has been made (see para 6.11) or (b) there is a prohibition of waiting; this normally applies from the centre of the carriageway to the highway boundary (see para [[../6#6.2). Outside London, an order that bans footway parking may designate certain sections of footway as parking places.
8.2 On some residential streets, parked vehicles restrict the passage of through traffic and make access by emergency vehicles very difficult. The problem can often be resolved by the introduction of a prohibition of waiting, perhaps on one side of the road only. However, in areas of dense housing where off—street parking is very limited, such a prohibition could disadvantage residents. If this is the case, the provision of footway parking could be considered.
8.3 Care should be taken when selecting suitable sites; the remaining width of footway needs to be wide enough for pedestrians and should allow for two push chairs to pass each other. There could also be serious implications for visually impaired pedestrians and other disabled persons, such as those who use wheelchairs or electric scooters, as they might find their way obstructed. The minimum clear width for pedestrians should therefore be 1500 mm. It might be better to provide parking bays partially on the footway on both sides of the road rather than parking bays wholly on the footway on one side with carriageway parking on the other. This would evenly distribute available footway width on both sides of the road, although it would not be practicable if one footway is very narrow or non—existent. In some roads, the provision of parking bays partially on the footway on one side only might be sufficient to allow safe passage of through traffic. The footway should also be of suitable construction to allow vehicle parking. Where there is a scheme to improve a road, the opportunity should be taken to consider the provision of lay—bys as an alternative to footway parking.
8.4 Parking bays provided on the footway should normally operate at all times. Drivers should not be expected to park on the footway for part of the day and wholly on the carriageway at other times. This would be inconvenient and confusing, particularly where a bay has been marked partially on the footway and partially on the carriageway. Where there is a specific need to keep the footway clear and, in the case of bays partially on the footway, to keep the carriageway clear at certain times of the day, there should be a prohibition of waiting at the appropriate times. Where, in exceptional circumstances, parking is permitted on the footway for only part of the day and on the carriageway at other times, bay markings should not be provided (see para 8.6).
USE OF SIGNS AND MARKINGS
8.5 Signs to diagrams 667, 667.1 and 667.2 are used to indicate that parking may take place partially on the footway. Signs to diagrams 668, 668.1 and 668.2 indicate that parking is permitted wholly on the footway. These six diagrams include a symbol which shows the footway to the left of the carriageway. Where, from the driver's point of view, the parking bays are on the right hand side of the road and the signs face oncoming traffic, the symbol is reversed to show the footway to the right of the carriageway. Where a sign is mounted parallel to the kerb and includes an arrow (see para 8.12), the symbol shall show the footway to the right of the carriageway when the arrow points to the left and vice versa. The symbol then represents the true situation when looking in the direction of the arrow. Sign design details are set out on the appropriate working drawings (see para 1.9).
8.6 The signs described in para 8.5 may be used without any road markings. This would be appropriate where parking is allowed on a verge unsuitable for road markings or where there is no specific requirement for a designated parking place as described in section 7. Where bay markings are to be provided they must be to diagram 1028.4; no other marking is prescribed for verge or footway parking. For a bay that is wholly on the footway the three—sided version only must be used, the fourth boundary being the kerbline. The Regulations do not prescribe the four—sided marking for use wholly on the footway (i.e. remote from the kerb). This version
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