Major UK city removes streets from pavement parking ban rule saving drivers £100 penalty fee

Drivers are set to see several roads across a major city become exempt from pavement parking nearly eight months after new penalties were introduced.

Glasgow City Council has revealed that 76 streets will become exempt from pavement parking restrictions, which commenced in March this year.

The restrictions, which also cover double parking and parking at dropped kerbs, were introduced to protect vulnerable pedestrians, including wheelchair users and those pushing prams.

The council plans to make certain streets an exception to the fines after it has completed an extensive assessment process that examined hundreds of streets across the city.

The initial evaluation determined that most Glasgow streets required no exemption, either because parking restrictions were already established or the carriageway measured at least 7.5 metres in width - sufficient for fire engines to navigate with vehicles parked on both sides.

Following this first assessment, hundreds of streets underwent additional scrutiny to determine their suitability for exemptions. This comprehensive review process ultimately reduced the number of eligible streets to just 76.

The evaluation examined whether streets were located within modern developments where parking facilities should have been incorporated, or if alternative parking existed within 400 metres from recorded pavement parking locations, aligning with national street design guidance.

Streets currently under consultation for parking control zone proposals were excluded from the pavement parking assessment, with exemption considerations for these areas to be addressed during relevant parking zone consultations.

The streets identified for exemption will now undergo technical design work to determine specific parking parameters, including the pavement length available for parking, the permitted width for vehicles, and which roadside will be included in exemptions.

These specifications will underpin the required legal order, with development scheduled for early 2026.

Areas under consideration for parking zones in Broomhill/Thornwood, Sighthill, Kelvinside/Kelvindale, Dennistoun, Shawlands, Battlefield and Strathbungo will await separate decisions regarding potential pavement parking exemptions.

The council emphasised that any obstructive parking forcing pedestrians onto carriageways and creating safety hazards for vulnerable road users remains subject to enforcement action regardless of exemption status.

A council spokesperson shared: "Pavement parking, double parking and parking at dropped kerbs create road safety hazards across Glasgow and put vulnerable pedestrians and wheelchair users in danger every day.

“The new restrictions give our parking attendants the power to issue fines against vehicles that contravene these rules, and we have been using that power across the city."

The spokesperson explained that an initial pavement parking assessment excluded a majority of city streets from an exemption from enforcement.

“A second round of assessment has found that a small minority of streets are now eligible for an exemption from the restrictions," the spokesperson added.

When enforcement began in March, authorities issued over 400 warnings to vehicles breaching the new regulations during the phased introduction period.

The council anticipates commencing formal consultations in early 2026 for the traffic regulation orders required to legally establish the exemptions.