By Jane Haynes

Copyright birminghammail

A visually-impaired Birmingham resident has condemned pavement parking and the danger it poses for disabled people and parents with buggies as he repeated calls for a full ban. Philip Mills, from Moseley , and his guide dog attended a full Birmingham Council meeting to press his call for a pavement parking ban ‘with teeth’. He said the issue posed a danger to pedestrians with sight loss, wheelchair users and parents with pushchairs. They were ‘forced into the road or prevented from getting about safely,” he said. READ MORE: Birmingham residents present ‘colourful’ alternative to flying St George’s flags The council confirmed it had some powers under a city-wide traffic regulation order to impose fines for pavement parking, but only when properly signposted, street by street. The Government is mulling over a nationwide ban on pavement parking, which could see those flouting the rules hit with penalties. Mr Mills told the meeting: “Dangerous parking, including on pavements and junctions, is a danger…when it is reported to the police, they direct people to the council, and the council directs them to the police.” He said the council’s transport and highways scrutiny committee made 16 recommendations on road safety last December, including completing a parking enforcement service review and re-introducing the annual parking report, which had not been published since 2019. “These recommendations were due for completion in March 2025 but are still outstanding. When will the council take responsibility and ensure effective enforcement of pavement parking?” In response Coun Majid Mahmood, Labour cabinet member for highways, told him the finishing touches were being made to the annual parking report, due out soon. He also set out the current parking rules in the city and who was responsible for enforcing rules. He said: “We are working hard to tackle inconsiderate and illegal parking. Our civil enforcement officers are out daily, keeping streets safe and accessible by enforcing parking rules and encouraging responsible behaviour. “They patrol hotspots across our city, from schools and shopping areas to residential streets, taking action where parking causes congestion or risks to pedestrians. “The council also works closely with West Midlands Police and other partners in joint enforcement operations to improve compliance and help tackle problem parking across the city. “These operations are often targeted at locations where repeated contraventions are occurring. This joint approach ensures persistent offenders face appropriate consequences and that problem areas receive sustained attention.” Coun Mahmood said council civil enforcement officers could issue PCNs for parking contraventions, but police had to act in cases of obstruction and dangerous parking. He added: “Unlike London, where pavement parking is banned city-wide, enforcement in Birmingham depends on specific legal powers. “We’ve introduced a city-wide ban through a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO), but for it to be enforceable on each street, clear signage must be in place. Without it, the council can’t issue fines – even if vehicles block pavements. “Where double yellow lines or other restrictions exist, enforcement is straightforward. Parking on pavements is already illegal there. “But in areas without TROs or signage, only the police can act, and then only if there’s a serious obstruction.” He added: “I know the government are working on this issue, and are reviewing consultation responses about pavement parking. “We want to work with government to bring a blanket ban on pavement parking across the England, like they have in Greater London, to give us the power to act consistently and protect pedestrians everywhere.” A full ban could spell trouble on narrow terraced streets across the city where residents currently partially park on pavements. Recent data revealed pavement parking was one of the biggest gripes Brits had about their neighbours. Questions also remain about how such a ban would be effectively enforced everywhere, given local authority budgets are already stretched.