Cllr Roz Smith, seconded by Cllr Landell Mills proposed the submitted motion as set out in the agenda and briefing note.

Cllr Roz Smith accepted the amendment proposed by Cllr Hayes as set out in the briefing note.

After debate and on being put to the vote the amended motion was agreed.

Council resolved to adopt the following motion:

The government has recently consulted on ‘Pavement Parking: Options for Change’. Oxford City Council has submitted a response to the national consultation following a consultation of people with experience of living, working and moving around Oxford with disabilities, as well as people who represent disability charities, informed by a presentation on the subject by the Parking Manager at Oxfordshire County Council.

The focus group gave an overall preference for the option of banning pavement parking, as has been the case in London since 1974.

This Council:

·       Recognises that the Government launched the consultation because of concern that dangerous parking, on pavements, in cycle lanes, around schools and in many other instances, has got worse in recent years and causes significant danger and inconvenience to many people including wheelchair users, parents with small children, cyclists, the less mobile, and many others.

·       Recognises that present enforcement by Oxfordshire County Council in Oxford is widely seen to be limited in effectiveness; it cannot be effective owing to the current legal framework, which we recognise needs to change.

·       Believes that the safety of pedestrians (especially the visually impaired, and disabled) is important and motorists should be considerate of everybody else’s needs.

·       Believes that pavement parking is both an obstacle to active transport (walking and cycling), and significantly hinders the liberty and mobility of visually impaired and disabled citizens.

·       Recognises that a ban on pavement parking needs to be accompanied by a thorough CPZ approach, so that problems aren’t just displaced to other areas, and extra budget from Government or else enforcement will not be possible

·       Recognises that exceptions to the rule will need to be retained (for example where a CPZ specifically allows pavement parking due to narrow roads) and where there is pavement parking, it should be very clearly marked with signs and paint.

Council therefore:

1.        Fully endorses the objective of the government consultation to end pavement parking, considering all local circumstances.

2.        Commits to supporting the use of civil enforcement powers in a way which both enforces this policy effectively and does not represent a financial cost to the council.

3.        Asks the Cabinet Member for Green Transport and Zero Carbon Oxford to write to colleagues in Oxfordshire County Council and neighbouring districts informing them of this resolution and offering to investigate opportunities for effective joint working over, for example, enforcement contracts.

4.        Asks the Cabinet Member for Green Transport and Zero Carbon Oxford to write to the Secretary of State and the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Transport informing them of this resolution and urging them to move to banning pavement parking as soon as possible.

This motion was not taken as the time allocated for debate had finished.