A consultation was launched at the end of August seeking your views on proposed changes to the Highway Code. The review is being held by the Department for Transport, to improve safety on pavements for:
- Wheelchair users
- People with visual impairments
- Prams or buggies
The main changes being proposed are to:
- Extend the London-style ban on pavement parking
- Make it easier for councils to pass laws to prevent pavement parking
- Give councils the power to fine offenders
You can read and respond to the consultation online, complete a form or send an email to share your views.
5 thoughts on “Highway Code: your views needed”
My partner is a wheelchair user. I believe that any pavement obstruction to the safe passage of a wheelchair, for any length of time, should be illegal. This would provide for double buggies and all other pavement users as well.
Most drivers would be poor at estimating 1.5m so this needs to be taken into consideration. Pavement damage is an educational issue and the WHOLE ISSUE requires the driving public to be educated over a period of time. Most of us wear seat belts now. It can work.
This is a major step backwards on road safety. Placing the onus of responsibility on larger vehicles is giving a green light to bad driving by removing the need for other road users to take responsibility for their own actions.
If the DfT wants the roads to be safer then education from pedestrians (starting from school age) through to the point that they progress to taking a test for a vehicle.
Having taken and passed a test then perhaps every 5 years having all drivers assessed to ensure the minimum standards have been maintained.
Please don`t change the highway code, unless you are prepared to back up the new rules. Take a good look at the way a lot of drivers act now, making it up as they go with complete disregard for everyone around them.
A SAD STATEMENT TO MAKE, but I see this type of bad practise almost on a daily basis.
Remove the comment ( a flashing light may be good enough) flashing lights should be exclusively for indicators, emergency services and breakdowns. The only reason bicycle lights can flash is the manufacturers make them that way.
Parking on the wrong side of the road is one of the most dangerous things done by motorists(DVSA said so) and most do not know it is not legal after lighting up time.I believe the this dangerous parking should be banned permanently.
I live in a road where if you didn’t park on the pavement nobody would be able to get through.
Maybe you could park on the kerb as long as you leave enough space for wheelchairs and the like to get past.
I did have a letter delivered from the council years ago to leave enough space for a double buggy to get through.
Could this work if enforced by local council ?