To ask the Minister for Infrastructure to detail any plans he has to address obstructive pavement parking.

The recent introduction of the Footways (Prohibition of Waiting) Order (Northern Ireland) 2023 allows the Department to enforce against vehicles found parked on footways alongside bus lanes, bus stops/stands, mandatory cycle lanes and mandatory ‘School Keep Clear’ markings. The legislation adds to list of specific areas where footway parking is prohibited, and I believe it is a positive step forward in deterring inconsiderate pavement parking.

The Department routinely reminds drivers to ‘think before you park’ and continues to take action against vehicles that are in contravention of parking restrictions, including those that apply to footways. Where we cannot act, the police can enforce against vehicles found to be obstructing a footway.

On 6 December 2023 the Department released a Findings Report on the responses received to the consultation on inconsiderate pavement parking. This can be accessed using this link;

https://www.infrastructure-ni.gov.uk/publications/inconsiderate-pavement-parking-findings-report I plan to issue a formal response to the consultation exercise when I have had the opportunity to consider the Findings Report.