THE WELSH Government is looking to clamp down on pavement parking.

Problem parking on pavements is an issue in many parts of Wales, but is not currently a specified offence.

Police can enforce the existing criminal offence of causing 'unnecessary obstruction of any part of the highway’.

In 2020, the Welsh Government received a report from the Welsh Pavement Parking Taskforce on the issue.

It rejected an outright ban on pavement parking but recommended that councils are given additional powers to tackle problem areas. Now, the Welsh Government is moving ahead with consulting on those extra powers being given to local authorities.

A Welsh Government spokesperson said: "The Deputy Minister for Climate Change has agreed in principle to proceed with the additional recommendations made by the Welsh Pavement Parking Taskforce.

"The Welsh Government will therefore consult on the proposal to permit local authorities to enforce the unnecessary obstruction of the road as a parking contravention by way of civil enforcement.

"It is proposed that the police will also retain the ability to enforce the offence as a criminal matter, as well as the new civil enforcement powers by local authorities."

Deputy Minister for Climate Change, Lee Waters, said: "The Taskforce examined the feasibility of using the existing offence of obstruction of the road to address the issue of pavement parking. This approach could deliver additional benefits, allowing local authorities in Wales to deal with both pavement parking and also parked vehicles obstructing our roads. 

"The Pavement Parking Taskforce has subsequently provided an addendum to their original report and recommended that this is the best way forward. I have accepted this recommendation and now propose to consult widely prior with a view to introducing the necessary legislation by the end of 2023."