Alternatives to pavement parking sought for Elm Grove in Brighton

The move follows a request to Brighton and Hove City Council in June by Elm Grove residents seeking a “traffic regulation order” on the street to end pavement parking.

Similar pavement parking orders already cover Portland Road, Hove, as well as Craven Vale and Carden Avenue, in Brighton.

Green, Labour and Conservative members of the council’s environment, transport and sustainability committee agreed to move forward with a “traffic regulation order” yesterday evening once alternative parking solutions had been considered.

At Hove Town Hall, Labour councillor Gary Wilkinson asked the committee to agree alternatives in the area such as angled on-street parking.

Once research into alternatives has been completed, a traffic order would allow civil enforcement officers to ticket vehicles parked on the pavement from Lewes Road to the junction with Tenantry Down Road.

• READ MORE: This is where pavement parking could soon be banned after years of complaints

Cllr Wilkinson said that the council had tarmacked over the old grass verges in the 1980s and parking there was “long accepted” with parking up to the “second kerb”.

He said: “As a former resident in the area, I am of the view that local people do not see themselves as parking on the pavements, which are as wide as many in the city, with enough space for pedestrians.

“The parking, in general, is clear of the pavement and on the tarmac verge, which were originally introduced, so local residents had space to park.

“In most places, they work fine for that purpose. Calling these verges pavement is, in my opinion, an unfortunate use of language.”

Conservative councillor Robert Nemeth voted with Labour to push through the request for research into on-street angled or echelon parking bays which could form part of a “controlled parking zone” before bringing in the proposed ban.

Green councillors urged the committee not to go with the Labour proposals.

Green councillor Elaine Hills, who represents Hanover and Elm Grove, said that most residents wanted an end to pavement parking.

Pavement parking has already been banned in parts of the city (Image: Brighton and Hove City Council)

She said “Most people who live there have suffered this for years. Cars have to drive along the pavement as there is often no way into a space.

“It’s illegal to drive there. One resident said they had to pull their small child away from a car because it was driving near her house.”

Fellow Green councillor Jamie Lloyd backed Cllr Hills, saying that Labour’s proposals would result in a delay to action that residents had wanted for years.

He said: “It is extremely dangerous and residents want action. They don’t want it kicked along the road. This is a progressive thing to do.”

Green councillor Steve Davis, who co-chairs the committee, said that the scheme was effectively a trial project on banning pavement parking in Brighton and Hove.