THE Greens have pledged action on pavement parking after recent criticism about having “no formal plans” to do so.
A blanket ban on pavement parking would need a change in law, while bans in specific areas such as Bishopston or the city centre could be costly to set up.
Greens petitioned last year for a pavement parking ban, before they took control of the council. Responding to Labour criticism about lacking a plan, Green councillors on the transport policy committee promised on Thursday, July 11, to set up a working group to explore their options.
Green Cllr Rob Bryher said: “There was some conjecture about pavement parking recently. One of the task and finish groups could be kerbside strategy because if we’re looking at that as an issue, we should look at it in the round, look at all the issues around how we organise our space beside the kerb.”
Last summer, the Greens’ petition mentioned Sheffield, where traffic regulation orders have banned pavement parking in the city centre, as an example to follow.
Green group leader Cllr Emma Edwards said the committee could look at the Sheffield option.
Green Cllr Ed Plowden, chair of the transport committee,said: “As for any suggestion that Bristol Greens are giving up on pavement parking, quite the opposite — we need an ambitious parking and kerbside strategy. It needs to be holistic, not piecemeal.”
By Alex Seabrook, Local Democracy Reporting Service