Drivers in Birmingham will soon be banned from parking on pavements in designated areas around the city. The Government confirmed local authorities would be handed tougher powers to stop drivers parking on pavements. The council will be able to select roads where the new pavement parking ban rules will apply, likely focusing on city centre and busy roads, as well as areas where there are specific concerns.
Changes to implement the pavement parking ban will come into force later this year at the earliest, and the rules will likely work in a similar way to double yellow lines, with signage in affected locations. The specific roads for the ban and the exact start date have not been announced. Simultaneously, Birmingham City Council has launched a new spy car, known as a Mobile Enforcement Vehicle, to crack down on poor parking.
The spy car is equipped with high-definition cameras, an AI enforcement system, and GPS to identify where parking restrictions start and end. It scans parked vehicles for those breaking rules at red routes, zig zag zones, and bus shelters, with offenders caught hit with £70 fines. Hundreds of offences have been identified by the spy car in its first few weeks on the roads, including around Sparkhill, Sparkbrook, and Hall Green.
The spy car does not punish double yellow line offences and vehicles cannot be penalised again if already fined by a traffic warden. Council bosses are hoping to eventually expand the number of spy cars patrolling city streets.