New research has highlighted the ongoing challenge facing local authorities as they balance the demand for residential parking with the need to maintain safe, accessible pavement for pedestrians and vulnerable road users.

A BBC investigation found that around half of responding councils in England actively support pavement parking through measures such as marked bays or designated areas, despite concerns from disability groups that vehicles parked on the pavement can create significant barriers for wheelchair users, pedestrians with limited mobility and people with visual impairments.

The issue continues to be one of the most frequently raised concerns for councils, with authorities required to consider the needs of motorists while also ensuring that pavements remain safe and accessible.

For many residents, particularly those who rely on mobility aids, pavement obstructions can make everyday journeys more difficult. Narrowed pavements caused by parked vehicles, alongside other street obstacles such as bins and street furniture, can restrict access and force pedestrians closer to live traffic.

However, councils have highlighted the practical challenges of managing parking demand, particularly in older residential areas where streets were not designed around current vehicle ownership levels.

The Department for Transport has said it is strengthening councils’ powers to tackle dangerous and inconsiderate pavement parking, allowing local authorities greater ability to act where vehicles create unnecessary obstructions.

Currently, enforcement powers vary significantly across the country. While some areas, including London, Exeter and Scotland, have broader restrictions on pavement parking, many other locations rely on specific Traffic Regulation Orders or police intervention where vehicles are causing an obstruction.

Birmingham City Council, one of the authorities highlighted in the research, said pavement parking remains permitted in some locations but acknowledged the difficulties it can create for pedestrians, cyclists and disabled road users.

Councillor Harris Khaliq, Birmingham City Council’s cabinet member for city operations and digital, said the authority welcomed stronger powers from government and was awaiting further guidance on how they should be applied locally.

The challenge is being made more complex by wider changes in vehicle ownership and road design. The number of licensed vehicles in the UK reached a record level in 2025, while increasing vehicle sizes have placed further pressure on existing streets, pavement and available parking space.

Industry groups have argued that a long-term solution requires better planning, improved parking management and greater consideration of accessibility within highway design.

As councils receive new enforcement powers, local authorities will face the challenge of developing approaches that improve pedestrian safety on pavements while recognising the practical pressures faced by communities where parking capacity is limited.

The debate highlights a wider issue facing the highways sector: how existing road networks can adapt to changing demands while continuing to provide safe and inclusive access for all road users along with pedestrians on the pavement.