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Footway parking

Footway parking is when you park your vehicle with one or more wheels on or over any part of the footway.

Motorists are banned from parking on almost all of London's footways or footpaths, including:

  • pavements
  • grass verges
  • alleyways
  • driveways
  • pedestrian crossings

If motorists park their vehicles on a footway, they may be liable to receive a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN).

Footway parking restrictions apply to the public highway. If you're parking on Council housing estate land, please get in touch with your housing association officers for further information.

 Reasons for the footway parking ban

  • to prevent damage to the footway
  • to maintain footways
  • to prevent obstruction and danger to pedestrians

Locations exempt to footway parking are indicated by

  • blue signs with the parking “P” and a car showing two or all wheels on the footway and or bay markings partly or wholly on the footway. Examples of the signage used can be found below
  • a sign showing two wheels on the footway. In this instance, please park your vehicle partly on the footway within the markings
  • a sign showing all wheels on the footway. In this instance, please park your vehicle with all wheels within the markings

Loading and unloading

Exemptions only apply if the driver cannot proceed with loading and unloading whilst parking in any other way.  The driver must be in attendance whilst the vehicle is parked for the exemption to apply.

Locations exempt from the footway parking ban

If you're parking in a street exempted from the ban, there will be bays painted in white indicating where you can park. Motorists should not assume a street has been exempted from the bans, even if there are other cars parked that way.

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