Keeping You Safe
What does road safety mean to you? Your answer may be different depending on whether you walk, drive or cycle. Whichever way you use our roads, our aim is to ensure that you do so in safety, with little or no risk of you or anybody else being injured or worse killed on the roads of Merseyside.
Whilst ultimately it’s up to you, the road user to make the right decisions, we as a road safety partnership can influence the outcomes in a number of ways.
Keeping you safe through Enforcement
Safety camera vans and static safety cameras are deployed across Merseyside. They aim to influence how drivers use our roads and the speed they choose to drive at. They are deployed to locations where there is an identified risk to safety due to excessive and inappropriate speed.
Police officers from Merseyside Police also conduct enforcement which is intelligence-led, based upon collision data and local complaints. We also have a number of special constables and sergeants in our Safer Roads Team who can respond to complaints and provide a roadside presence to enforce and deter offenders. This way we can target a range of offences, ranging from speeding to mobile phone use, pavement parking to anti-social driving.
We believe in using education to effect a longer-term behaviour change in drivers and rely upon the National Driver Offender Rehabilitation Scheme courses (NDORS) to educate the many thousands of offenders detected every year. However many drivers are still prosecuted by way of fixed penalty or by courts.
Engagement & Education
We visit schools, companies and public events to talk to as many people as possible about road safety. We’ve got lots of resources that can help support every type of road user. So, are you:
- A head-of-year teacher concerned about the safety of your teenage pupils?
- A fleet or personnel manager responsible for the safety of your driving staff?
- A company director suffering from reputational damage caused by your drivers’ actions?
- A local community group worried about road safety in your area?
- Any person interested in road safety and wanting to make a difference?
Having a dedicated social media presence means we can communicate with people right across Merseyside. Not only can we spread the word about collision hotspots and new initiatives, but we can have direct dialogue with the people we’re trying to help.
Engineering
Sometimes, the solution to keeping you safe isn’t through enforcement, education or engagement. The answer lies with the local authority to ensuring the road environment itself is not the cause or a contributory factor. We endeavour to make sure that it is fit for purpose and safe for everyone to use.
We work with local authority engineers when a road safety problem has been raised to find the best way of addressing the issue. In Merseyside, every new construction project on our network has the safety of all road users at the forefront of its plan. Concerns are listened to and inputs invited from vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists. After all, road safety is everyone’s responsibility!
Safety Cameras
Across Merseyside, the Safer Roads Unit is responsible for the operation of a range of safety cameras and the administration of the National Driver Offender Rehabilitation Scheme (NDORS) courses.
In Merseyside there are:
37 fixed speed camera sites
These locations were selected, based on the number of road casualties there and in the local areas
13 fixed red light/‘Speed On Green’ sites
Junctions where there is a high risk or prevalence of collision due contravention of the red traffic signals and excessive and inappropriate speed
90 sites used by our mobile safety camera vans
Selected based upon casualty data and local complaints (where sites are suitable)
Why we need Safety Cameras
- Safety Cameras play a vital part in our strategy to reduce the number of people killed and seriously injured on our roads
- They contribute to the safety of local communities, particularly vulnerable road users such as the elderly, children and the disabled
- They educate drivers and influence how they use our roads in the future
- Safety Cameras supplement the enforcement by Merseyside Police officers and the work of the Road Safety Partnership and local communities to create safe environments for people to live and work
Safety Cameras are just one of a number of measures we employ for keeping you safe – local authorities employ speed bumps, 20 mph limits and other physical measures to control the speeds of vehicles. The continuing need for these measures is underlined by the number of collisions that occur on our roads every year in which speed is the main or a contributory factor.
In 2018, 51,103 drivers were detected driving at an excessive speed by our cameras. 4000 drivers were detected after failing to conform to a red traffic signal. The vast majority of those drivers underwent a national course (Speed Awareness or What’s Driving Us) where they were educated about the consequences of speeding and poor driving standards as an alternative to penalty points and as fine.
There are national guidelines that determine which drivers are eligible for a course and which ones are dealt with by way of fixed penalty or court. On Merseyside, the operation of our cameras and the administration of the courses is funded by the fees paid by offending drivers. These fees also enable the Road Safety Partnership to deliver innovative schemes, aimed at improving the safety of vulnerable road users across Merseyside.
We are constantly looking for new sites for our mobile safety camera vans to operate, in response to complaints from residents and emerging casualty issues. Not every road is suitable for a van to deploy to and often other measures such as police enforcement or a community-led speed watch scheme may be more appropriate.
Camera Locations in Merseyside
Wondering where you might come across safety cameras in Merseyside? Here’s a list! The ‘static sites’ are where safety cameras are fixed, and ‘mobile sites’ are where safety camera vans are scheduled to be.
Check back every so often for updates. Mobile safety camera vans change their locations if there have been complaints about speed from the public, if there has been a road traffic collision, or if people are at risk in an area for some other reason.
STATIC SITES
Archway Road/Rupert Road,
Huyton, L36
Seth Powell Way/Woolfall Heath Avenue,
Huyton, Liverpool, L36
A57 Liverpool Road/Princess Drive,
Huyton, Knowsley. L36
Aigburth Road/Mersey Road,
Liverpool, L19
Garston Way /Dock Rd,
Liverpool 19
Queens Drive/Mill Bank (Northbound),
Liverpool, L13
Victoria Street/Crosshall Street (Eastbound),
Liverpool, L1
Leeds Street/Vauxhall Road,
Liverpool, L3
Crosby Road South/Cambridge Road (Southbound),
Crosby, L21
Northway (A59)/Hall Lane,
Maghull, L31
East Lancashire Road (A580)/Carr Mill Road (W/B),
St Helens, WA10
New Chester Road (A41)/Caldbeck Road (S/B),
Bromborough, Wirral, CH62
New Chester Road (A41)/Pool Lane, Bromborough,
Wirral, CH62
Scotland Road (Northbound),
Liverpool, L5
Scotland Road (Southbound),
Liverpool, L5
West Derby Road/Farnworth Street (Westbound),
Liverpool, L6
West Derby Road/Perth Street,
Liverpool, L6
Prescot Road (Eastbound),
Liverpool, L6
Prescot Road (Westbound),
Liverpool, L7
Smithdown Road (South Eastbound),
Liverpool, L7
Park Road,
Liverpool, L8
Rice Lane (Southbound) Liverpool, L9
M62 Westbound,
Liverpool
Edge Lane Drive (Eastbound),
Liverpool, L13
Edge Lane Drive (Westbound),
Liverpool, L13
Prescot Road (Eastbound) Old Swan,
Liverpool, L13
Prescot Road (Westbound) Old Swan,
Liverpool, L13
West Derby Road (Eastbound),
Liverpool, L6
West Derby Road (Westbound),
Liverpool, L6
Park Road North/Duke Street,
Birkenhead, Wirral, CH41
Picton Road,
Liverpool, L15
High Street,
Liverpool, L15
New Chester Road (A41)/Heather Dene,
Bromborough, Wirral, CH62
New Chester Road (A41)/Eastham Village Road (N/B),
Eastham, Wirral, CH62
Mount Road, Bebington,
Wirral, CH63
Woodchurch Road/Ackers Road,
Woodchurch, Wirral, CH49
Woodchurch Road/Ennerdale Road,
Prenton, Wirral, CH43
Hoylake Road/Millhouse Lane (Eastbound),
Moreton, Wirral, CH46
New Chester Road (A41)/Turbine Road (Northbound),
Birkenhead, Wirral, CH42
Dunningsbridge Road (Westbound),
Netherton, L30
Dunningsbridge Road (Eastbound),
Netherton, L30
Church Road (Eastbound) Litherland,
Sefton, L21
Church Road (Westbound) Litherland,
Sefton, L21
Princess Way (Westbound) Seaforth,
Sefton, L21
Princess Way (Eastbound) Seaforth,
Sefton, L21
Balliol Road East (Westbound) Bootle,
Sefton, L20
Balliol Road (Eastbound) Bootle,
Sefton, L20
Gorsey Lane/Richard Martin Road (Northbound),
Litherland, Sefton, L21
Gorsey Lane/Richard Martin Road (Southbound),
Litherland, Sefton, L21
Gorsey Lane (Northbound) Near To Sterrix Lane,
Litherland, Sefton, L21
Gorsey Lane (Southbound) Near To Sterrix Lane,
Litherland, Sefton, L21
Crosby Road South (Northbound),
Waterloo, Sefton, L22
Crosby Road North (Southbound),
Waterloo, Sefton, L22
MOBILE SITES
Hawthorne Road (A5090)
Start: Church Road
Finish: Linacre Lane
Sefton
30 mph
Hawthorne Road (A5090)
Start: Linacre Lane
Finish: Church Road
Sefton
30 mph
A57 Warrington Road L35
Start: Dragon Lane
Finish: Ash Grove
Knowsley
30 mph
A57 Warrington Road L35
Start: Ash Grove
Finish: Dragon Lane
Knowsley
30 mph
Utting Avenue L4
Start: Queens Drive
Finish: Priory Road
Liverpool
30 mph
Utting Avenue L4
Start: Priory Road
Finish: Queens Drive
Liverpool
30 mph
Woodend Avenue
Start: Alderman Road
Finish: Hillfoot Avenue
Liverpool
30 mph
Woodend Avenue
Start: Hillfoot Avenue
Finish: Alderman Road
Liverpool
30 mph
A57 Warrington Road L35
Start: Victoria Street
Finish: Norlands Lane
St Helens
30 mph
A57 Warrington Road L35
Start: Norlands Lane
Finish: Victoria Street
St Helens
30 mph
A49 Winwick Road
Start: Cholmley Drive
Finish: Hermitage Green
St Helens
40 mph
A49 Winwick Road
Start: Hermitage Green
Finish: Cholmley Drive
St Helens
40 mph
Storeton Lane CH61
Start: Station Road
Finish: Barnston Road
Wirral
30 mph
Storeton Lane. CH61
Start: Barnston Road
Finish: Station Road
Wirral
30 mph
A570 Rainford Bypass WA11
Start: Berrington Hall
Finish: Lodge Lane/Bushy Lane
St Helens
60 mph
A570 Rainford Bypass WA11
Start: Lodge Lane/Bushy Lane
Finish: Berrington Hall
St Helens
60 mph
A5030 Beaufort Road. CH41
Start: Corporation Road
Finish: Wallasey Bridge Road
Wirral
30 mph
A5030 Beaufort Road. CH41
Start: Wallasey Bridge Road
Finish: Corporation Road
Wirral
30 mph
Prescot Road
Start: Margery Road
Finish: Dunriding Lane
St Helens
30 mph
Prescot Road
Start: Dunriding Lane
Finish: Margery Road
St Helens
30 mph
Southport Road, Lydiate L31
Start: Church Lane
Finish: Moss Lane
Sefton
30 mph
Southport Road, Lydiate L31
Start: Moss Lane
Finish: Church Lane
Sefton
30 mph
Albert Road
Start: Argyle Road
Finish: Alexandra Road
Sefton
30 mph
Albert Road
Start: Alexandra Road
Finish: Argyle Road
Sefton
30 mph
Jubits Lane (B5419)
Start: Walkers Lane
Finish: Bell Lane
St Helens
30 mph
Jubits Lane (B5419)
Start: Bell Lane
Finish: Walkers lane
St Helens
30 mph
Birchley Road (A571)
Start: Rainford Road
Finish: East Lancashire Road
St Helens
40 mph
Birchley Road (A571)
Start: East Lancashire Road
Finish: Ranford Road
St Helens
40 mph
Birkenhead Road/Hoylake Road
Start: Sherwood Road
Finish: Carr Lane
Wirral
40 mph
Birkenhead Road/Hoylake Road
Start: Carr Lane
Finish: Sherwood road
Wirral
40 mph
Column Road
Start: Blackhorse Hill
Finish: Grange Cross Lane
Wirral
30 mph
Column Road
Start: Grange Cross Lane
Finish: Black Horse Hill
Wirral
30 mph
Telegraph Road
Start: Rocky Lane
Finish: Well Lane
Wirral
30 mph
Telegraph Road
Start: Well Lane
Finish: Rocky Lane
Wirral
30 mph
Roe Lane
Start: Norwood Avenue
Finish: Mill Lane
Sefton
30 mph
Roe Lane
Start: Mill Lane
Finish: Norwood Avenue
Sefton
30 mph
Cambridge Road
Start: Park Avenue
Finish: Marshside Road
Sefton
30 mph
Cambridge Road
Start: Marshside Road
Finish: Park Avenue
Sefton
30 mph
Liverpool Road
Start: Arundel Road
Finish: Waterloo Road
Sefton
30 mph
Liverpool Road
Start: Waterloo Road
Finish: Arundel Road
Sefton
30 mph
Ashton Road
Start: Billington Avenue
Finish: Crow Lane East
St Helens
30 mph
Ashton Road
Start: Crow Lane East
Finish: Billington Avenue
St Helens
30 mph
A58 Prescot Bypass
Start: Liverpool Road
Finish: St Helens Road
Knowsley
40 mph
A58 Prescot Bypass
Start: St Helens
Finish: Liverpool Road
Knowsley
40 mph
Windy Arbour Road
Start: Fallows Way
Finish: Lickers Lane
Knowsley
30 mph
Windy Arbour Road
Start: Lickers Lane
Finish: Fallows Way
Knowsley
30 mph
Valley Road
Start: M57 Motorway
Finish: Kirkby Row
Knowsley
40 mph
A562 Higher Road
Start: Speke Blvd
Finish: Baileys Lane
Knowsley
40 mph
A565 (Moor Lane Continuation)
Start: Edge Lane
Finish: Brooms Cross Road
Sefton
30 mph
Riverside Drive
Start: Promenade Gardens
Finish:Royden Way
Liverpool
30 mph
Riverside Drive
Start: Jericho Lane
Finish: Bempton Road
Liverpool
30 mph
Sefton Street
Start: Royden Way
Finish: Parliament Street
Liverpool
30 mph
Sefton Street
Start: Parliament Street
Finish: Royden Way
Liverpool
30 mph
Regent Road
Start: Regent Street
Finish: Millers Bridge
Liverpool
30 mph
Regent Road
Start: Millers Bridge
Finish: Regent Street
Liverpool
30 mph
Aigburth Road
Start: Garston Old Road
Finish: Ashfield Road
Liverpool
30 mph
Aigburth Road
Start: Ashfield Road
Finish: Garston Old Road
Liverpool
30 mph
Acornfield Road
Start: Ashcroft Road
Finish: Charley Wood Road
Knowsley
30 mph
Lees Road
Start: Gores Road
Finish: Ashcroft Road
Knowsley
30 mph
Manor Drive
Start: Upton Bypass
Finish: Norwich drive
Wirral
30 mph
Woodchurch Road
Start: Storeton Road
Finish: Palmwood Close
Wirral
30 mph
Woodchurch Road
Start: Palmwood Close
Finish: Storeton Road
Wirral
30 mph
Hoylake Road
Start: Valley Road
Finish: St James Road
Wirral
30 mph
Hoylake Road
Start: St James Road
Finish: Valley Road
Wirral
30 mph
Childwall Valley Road
Start: Childwall Fiveways
Finish: Chelwood Avenue
Liverpool
30 mph
Childwall Valley Road
Start: Chelwood Avenue
Finish: Childwall Fiveways
Liverpool
30 mph
Warrington Road, Bold Heath
Start: Mersey Valley Golf Cr
Finish: Mill Lane
St Helens
30 mph
Menlove Avenue
Start: Queens Drive
Finish: Hillfoot Road
Liverpool
40 mph
Menlove Avenue
Start: Hillfoot Road
Finish: Queens Drive
Liverpool
40 mph
East Lancashire Road
Start: Carr Mill Road
Finish: Liverpool Road
St Helens
60 mph
East Lancashire Road
Start: Liverpool Road
Finish: Carr Mill Road
St Helens
60 mph
Kings Parade
Start: Harrison Drive
Finish: Coastal Drive
Wirral
30 mph
Waterloo Road
Start: Grosvenor Road
Finish: Liverpool Road
Sefton
30 mph
Waterloo Road
Start: Liverpool Road
Finish: Grosvenor Road
Sefton
30 mph
Mather Avenue
Start: Greenhill Road
Finish: Woolton Road
Liverpool
40 mph
Mather Avenue
Start: Stamfordham Drive
Finish: Greenhill Road
Liverpool
40 mph
Mount Road, Bebington
Start: Village Road
Finish: Storeton Road
Wirral
30 mph
Mount Road, Bebington
Start: Storeton Road
Finish: Village Road
Wirral
30 mph
Saughall Massie Road
Start: Heron Road
Finish: Upton Bypass
Wirral
30 mph
Saughall Massie Road
Start: Upton Bypass
Finish: Heron Road
Wirral
30 mph
Pump Lane
Start: Frankby Road
Finish: Ashdale Park
Wirral
30 mph
Pump Lane
Start: Ashdale Park
Finish: Frankby Road
Wirral
30 mph
East Lancashire Road (Site 2)
Start: Rainford Road
Finish: Hewitts Lane
Knowsley
60 mph
East Lancashire Road (Site 2)
Start: Hewitts Lane
Finish: Rainford Road
Knowsley
60 mph
Heyworth Street
Start: Beacon Lane
Finish: Breck Road
Liverpool
30 mph
Heyworth Street
Start: Breck Road
Finish: Beacon Lane
Liverpool
30 mph
Common Road
Start: Penkford Lane
Finish: Lyme Street
St Helens
30 mph
Common Road
Start: Lyme Street
Finish: Penkford Lane
St Helens
30 mph
East Lancashire Road (Site 1)
Start: Lady Pilks Bridge
Finish: Carr Mill Road
St Helens
60 mph
East Lancashire Road (Site 1)
Start: Carr Mill Road
Finish: Lady Pilks Bridge
St Helens
60 mph
East Prescot Road
Start: Pilch Lane
Finish: Finch Lane
Knowsley
40 mph
Great Homer Street
Start: Fox Street
Finish: Kirkdale Road
Liverpool
30 mph
Green Lane
Start: Prescot Road
Finish: West DerbyRoad
Liverpool
30 mph
Green Lane
Start: West DerbyRoad
Finish: Prescot Road
Liverpool
30 mph
Hornby Road
Start: Rice Lane
Finish: Southport Road
Liverpool
30 mph
Laird Street
Start: Corporation Road
Finish: Duke Street
Wirral
30 mph
Laird Street
Start: Duke Street
Finish: Corporation Road
Wirral
30 mph
Leasowe Road
Start: Oakmere Close
Finish: Wallasey Village
Wirral
40 mph
Leasowe Road
Start: Wallasey Village
Finish: Oakmere Close
Wirral
40 mph
Longmoor Lane
Start: Walton Vale
Finish: Valley Road
Liverpool
30 mph
Longmoor Lane
Start: Valley Road
Finish: Walton Vale
Liverpool
30 mph
Lower House Lane
Start: Carr Lane East
Finish: East Lancashire Road
Liverpool
30 mph
Lower House Lane
Start: East Lancashire Road
Finish: Carr Lane
Liverpool
30 mph
Muirhead Avenue
Start: West Derby Road
Finish: Lorenzo Drive
Liverpool
30 mph
Muirhead Avenue
Start: Lorenzo Drive
Finish: West Derby Road
Liverpool
30 mph
New Chester Road
Start: Willowbank Road
Finish: St Pauls Road
Wirral
30 mph
New Chester Road
Start: St Pauls Road
Finish: Willowbank Road
Wirral
30 mph
Southport Road
Start: Breeze Hill
Finish: Aintree Road
Sefton
30 mph
Southport Road
Start: Aintree Road
Finish: Breeze Hill
Sefton
30 mph
Southport Road
Start: Aintree Road
Finish: Northfield Road
Sefton
30 mph
Southport Road
Start: Northfield Road
Finish: Aintree Road
Sefton
30 mph
Townsend Avenue
Start: Queens Drive Walton
Finish: East Lancashire Road
Liverpool
30 mph
Townsend Avenue
Start: East Lancashire Road
Finish: Queens Drive Walton
Liverpool
30 mph
Upper Parliament Street
Start: Jamaica Street
Finish: Lodge Lane
Liverpool
30 mph
Upper Parliament Street
Start: Lodge Lane
Finish: Jamaica Street
Liverpool
30 mph
Stanley Road
Start: Lambeth Road
Finish: Lily Road
Liverpool
30 mph
Stanley Road
Start: Lily Road
Finish: Lambeth Road
Liverpool
30 mph
Brewster Street
Start: Selwyn Street
Finish: Bedford Road
Sefton
30 mph
Brewster Street
Start: Bedford Road
Finish: Selwyn Street
Sefton
30 mph
Ormskirk Road
Start: Brenka Avenue
Finish: Dunningsbridge Road
Sefton
40 mph
Ormskirk Road
Start: Dunningsbridge Road
Finish: Brenka Avenue
Sefton
40 mph
Dock Road
Start: Wallasey Bridge Road
Finish: Duke Street Bridge
Wirral
30 mph
Dock Road
Start: Duke Street Bridge
Finish: Wallasey Bridge Road
Wirral
30 mph
Greasby Road
Start: Circular Drive
Finish: Upton Bypass
Wirral
30 mph
Greasby Road
Start: Upton Bypass
Finish: Circular Drive
Wirral
30 mph
Seabank Road
Start: Manor Road
Finish: Rowson Street
Wirral
30 mph
Seabank Road
Start: Rowson Street
Finish: Manor Road
Wirral
30 mph
Upton Road
Start: Boundary Road
Finish: Vyner Road South
Wirral
30 mph
Upton Road
Start: Vyner Road South
Finish: Boundary Road
Wirral
30 mph
Moreton Road/Pasture Road
Start: Hoylake Road
Finish: Tarran Way North
Wirral
30 mph
Liverpool Road
Start: Coastal Road
Finish: Station Road
Sefton
30 mph
Liverpool Road
Start: Station Road
Finish: Coastal Road
Sefton
30 mph
Rimrose Road/Derby Road
Start: Knowsley Road
Finish: Strand Road
Sefton
40 mph
Higher Road
Start: Leathers Lane
Finish: Blackburne Drive
Knowsley
30 mph
Higher Road
Start: Blackburne Drive
Finish: Leathers Lane
Knowsley
30 mph
Moorgate Road
Start: East Lancashire Road
Finish: South Boundry Road
Knowsley
40 mph
Muirhead Avenue East
Start: Lorenzo Drive
Finish: Dwerryhouse Lane
Liverpool
30 mph
Muirhead Avenue East
Start: Dwerryhouse Lane
Finish: Lorenzo Drive
Liverpool
30 mph
Aigburth Road
Start: Ashfield Road
Finish: Lark lane
Liverpool
30 mph
Aigburth Road
Start: Lark lane
Finish: Ashfield Road
Liverpool
30 mph
Scotland Road N/B
Start: Leeds Street
Finish: Dryden Street
Liverpool
30 mph
Scotland Road S/B
Start: Dryden Street
Finish: Leeds Street
Liverpool
30 mph
Emergency Service Vehicles
There’s a bit of mystery surrounding emergency service vehicles, and what to do when you see one on the road. So, we’ve written a little bit of an overview to clear things up.
Only emergency service vehicles are allowed be fitted with blue flashing lights (or anything that looks like a blue flashing light) and sirens. There are a large number of emergency services including police, fire service and ambulances, the National Blood Service and the RNLI to name a few. It’s not just cars and larger vehicles to consider – pedal cycles are commonly used by police as well.
The lights can be used:
- When responding to an emergency
- At the scene of an incident, for example a crash or a road closure
- To alert you to their presence
- To let you know there is a hazard on the road. It’s easy to become confused as to what you should do or where you should go when you see an approaching emergency service vehicle.
Here’s our advice:
- If listening to music, keep the volume at a reasonable level so that you can hear their sirens
- Remain alert to their presence, particularly in town and the city centre. You should be regularly checking your mirrors anyway
- If you do see one approaching from behind, indicate and pull over where it is safe and remain there until it has passed. Avoid blind bends or hill crests. Remember, there may be more than one emergency service vehicle
- Avoid mounting a pavement as you may place pedestrians at risk, not to mention damage your wheels or tyres
- Do not contravene a red traffic light signal or bus lane as you may commit an offence by doing so. Emergency service drivers are highly trained and will drive at an appropriate speed that enables them to make safe progress without placing you in danger or forcing you to commit an illegal manoeuvre
- You may legally ‘break the law’, for example enter a bus lane or contravene a traffic sign or signal, if directed by a police officer
- If the emergency service vehicle cannot make safe progress, for example in the Mersey tunnels during peak time or in heavy traffic, the driver may switch off their lights and sirens until they can negotiate the traffic safely. Be prepared for this to happen
- Consider that it may be you that they need to speak to Blue Light Aware have made this helpful videoThank you for helping the emergency services keep Merseyside safe.
Pavement Parking
What are the issues with pavement parking?
In Merseyside, the number of vehicles registered for use on our roads continues to increase year on year. With some households having as many as two to three vehicles, but with limited off-road parking space pavement parking has become a real issue.
To ensure traffic flow across Merseyside, there are widespread parking restrictions in the form of single or double yellow lines. Meaning that legal on-road parking space is scarce. Drivers are using the pavements – often forcing pedestrians to walk on the road, where they risk being struck by passing traffic.
In 2019, 21 people were killed on the roads of Merseyside. A further 442 were seriously injured, some of whom sustained life changing injuries.
Among the most vulnerable are pedestrians, and those most affected are children, the elderly and disabled. Additionally, many older people suffer a poor quality of life because they remain at home, concerned about their limited mobility and the risk of injury from vehicles and broken pavements (that are unable to withstand the weight of a vehicle). Walking safely is a basic human right and the space allocated to pedestrians and other vulnerable road users must be respected.
FAQs
Is it an offence to drive onto a pavement?
Yes. It is an offence to drive onto a pavement, contrary to Section 72 of the Highway Act 1835 and s.34 of the Road Traffic Act 1988.
Is it an offence to park on a pavement?
In almost all cases, vehicles parked on the pavement will have first been driven onto the pavement in breach of the law. Also, you can still get a fine for doing so if the position of your vehicle causes obstruction or danger to other road users, including pedestrians. In London, any form of parking on pavements has been made an offence.
What exactly does the law say about pavement parking?
It is an offence to leave a vehicle on a road (including the pavement) in a dangerous position, contrary to Section 22 of the Road Traffic Act 1988.
The Road Traffic Act 1988 (Section 22) applies to any vehicle or trailer (including a caravan) that is left on a road (including the pavement) in such a position, condition or circumstances as to involve danger of injury to other road users. Drivers MUST assess the risks posed by their vehicles at the time they park them.
Here are some examples of ‘dangerous’ pavement parking;
- Vehicles which obstruct pavements for pedestrians, pram and wheelchair users and guide dog handlers, forcing them to step into roads and into the path of passing traffic
- Vehicles parked partially or totally on pavements near to junctions where they block the views of drivers and increase the risk of a collision
- Drivers who stop on school zigzag lines during busy peak times, obstructing other drivers’ views of children crossing, placing them in danger
It is an offence to obstruct a pavement, contrary to Regulation 103 of The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986.
- Whether or not there was an obstruction is a question of degree for a court to decide.
- A complete blockage of the highway is not required
- Police will take into account where the obstruction occurred, how long it lasted and the nature and extent
- In urban areas, obstructions might include parking a vehicle in a street or passage in such a way as prevent its use, or placing goods and merchandise for sale on the pavement
It is an offence to park a heavy commercial vehicle on a verge or footway, contrary to Section 19 of the Road Traffic Act 1988. There are exceptions which allow for a heavy commercial vehicle to be parked for the purpose of loading or unloading which could not otherwise have been done and also that the vehicle was not left unattended whilst it was parked. Additionally, if the vehicle was there for the purpose of attending to an emergency or the driver was directed by a police officer.
Rule 145 of the Highway Code states “You MUST NOT drive on or over a pavement, footpath or bridleway except to gain lawful access to property, or in the case of an emergency”.
Rule 244 of the Highway Code states that drivers “MUST NOT park partially or wholly on the pavement in London and should not do so elsewhere unless signs permit it.”
NOTE – the Highway Code is guidance and not law.
What can Merseyside Police do to address pavement parking?
Police have the power to require the owner/driver of a vehicle to remove it if it is in a position or condition likely to cause danger or obstruction or arrange for its removal at the owner’s expense. (Regulation 3 & 4. Removal and Disposal of Vehicles Regulations 1986)
In 2019, over 2,000 traffic offence reports were completed for a variety of parking-related offences, including obstructive and dangerous parking.
Who is responsible for enforcing the law?
The police are responsible for enforcing laws prohibiting driving onto a pavement and offences relating to obstruction and danger. Local authorities are responsible for enforcing parking restrictions on specified roads where there are clear road markings (single/double yellow lines) and a Traffic Regulation Order is in place.
NOTE – double yellow lines apply to the pavement as well as the road surface.
What about those people who live in a narrow street and don’t have a driveway?
We appreciate that on some narrow roads such as those with terraced housing and no off-road parking, drivers have no option but to park partially on the pavement otherwise the passage of traffic, including emergency vehicles would not be possible. Whilst under the current law this remains an offence, we will assess each reported case and make a decision based upon each set of circumstances.
However, we will not tolerate parking in any of the below circumstances;
- Vehicles which prevent pedestrians walking along a pavement
- Vehicles which obstruct pavements for pram and wheelchair users and guide dog handlers
- Vehicles parked partially or totally on pavements near to junctions where they block the views of drivers and increase the risk of a collision.
Is there anything I can do to help address pavement parking?
Yes! We are well aware of the scale of this problem across Merseyside and the effect it can have on people’s safety and quality of life. Merseyside Police officers cannot always be there to deal with the cases that members of the public see on a daily basis. There are things that YOU can do so that we can help one another.
- Visit the Merseyside Police website via the ‘Contact Us’ to submit footage. This process should take no more than 10 minutes.
- By sending an email to pavementparking@merseyside.police.uk
- We require a photo of the vehicle along with details of the location, time and date. We will assess the case and where appropriate, send a letter to the owner of the vehicle and will take steps to prosecute those owners who ignore our letters and continue to offend. We can also inform the local authority in cases where action by council enforcement officers is the appropriate course of action.
- Speak to your local policing team and collect some mock ‘parking notices’ and pavement parking cards. They contain information about the issues caused by pavement parking and the law so that we can educate drivers and hopefully influence their future parking. Also, the yellow ‘parking notices’ look very much like a parking ticket so they’re sure to grab the attention of drivers!
- In the longer term, we’re asking communities to ‘step up’ and take their own actions by setting up their Safer Roads Watch groups. Community members can work as a team with their local police and councils to address issues such as speeding, obstructive parking and ‘school run’ problems.