Pavement Parking Pressure

New analysis of insurance claims has revealed that mobility scooter users are being forced into roads, potholes and other hazards as they try to navigate pavements blocked by vehicles.

Insurance intermediary Surewise reviewed 34 claims involving vehicles blocking or obstructing pavements. The cases included riders being forced off pavements into the road, where they encountered potholes, an uncovered drain, loose gravel or kerb edges. 

Some mobility scooter users were struck by opening vehicle doors or by vehicles reversing or moving. One of the most serious claims involved a rider hit by a car near a church footpath. An ambulance was called, and the rider spent 21 days in hospital and required 25 stitches.

The findings come as councils across England prepare for new powers to tackle pavement parking, prompting calls for mobility scooter users to have a voice in how the changes are implemented locally.

The Government has opted for a locally led approach to pavement parking in England, rather than a nationwide ban. The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026 provides the legal framework for regulations enabling local transport authorities to introduce area-wide pavement parking prohibitions, subject to exemptions and within civil enforcement areas.

Separately, the Government has announced plans to give councils with civil parking enforcement powers the ability to tackle unnecessary obstruction of pavements through secondary legislation.

“These new powers are a real opportunity to tackle pavement parking in a way that makes a difference to the people most affected by it,” said Richard Hannan, Director of Surewise.

“We want mobility scooter users to have a voice in how councils approach this locally. If parked vehicles are leaving people unable to use the pavement safely, blocking the dropped kerbs they rely on or forcing them into the road, those experiences need to be heard.”

Road safety charity IAM RoadSmart is supporting calls for drivers to think carefully about how and where they park and the impact their choices can have on vulnerable pavement users.

The charity’s own research has previously highlighted the prevalence of pavement obstruction, while it has also contributed evidence to Parliament on pavement parking and the balance between accessibility, safety and the practical needs of road users.

"While it’s understandable people may worry about parking their cars on narrow streets, pavements should be kept clear for pedestrians and at the very least there should be enough space for wheelchairs, mobility scooters or prams,” said Nicholas Lyes, Director of Policy and Standards at IAM RoadSmart.

"By parking on the pavement, you are making life a lot more dangerous for some of the most vulnerable people, while simultaneously you could be damaging your vehicle.”

For further information visit https://www.surewise.com/safer-mobility/