North Herts councillors have backed a move to take action against pavement and verge parking in the district.

At a meeting on Thursday (April 23), Liberal Democrat councillors called for the authority to crack down on the parking practice in Letchworth to keep streets "safe and accessible". 

They accepted a Conservative amendment to widen its scope to cover all of North Herts, though a Labour attempt to push back any measures until after Government legislation on the issue – expected later this year – is confirmed was rejected.

Cllr Sean Prendergast (LD), who brought the motion, said parking on verges brings "real consequences".

"Damaged verges become mud, footways become obstructed, and accessibility is reduced for those with prams, wheelchairs or mobility needs," he said.

"Verge and Footway Protection Orders give us a practical, targeted way to address this. They allow us to focus on problem areas, prevent further damage and protect both our environment and pedestrian safety."

But Labour Cllr Alistair Willoughby said there was "a whole district to think of", and suggested it would be "ridiculous" to crack down on pavement parking in Letchworth alone.

He warned that the Liberal Democrat plan brought a risk of "duplicating" work and costs because of expected changes to national legislation later this year that could increase the powers local authorities have to deal with pavement parking. 

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Cllr Willoughby said Labour's amendment would have made the motion "district-wide, future-proof, financially sensible and aligned with the powers that are actually going to be used".

Councillors agreed to identify the roads where pavement parking and verge damage are concerns, with a report to be drawn up by officers with a plan for tackling the problem.

The Liberal Democrats want Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs) to be introduced, allowing hefty fines to be handed out to drivers who park on pavements.

Cllr Tina Bhartwas (LD), who seconded the motion, said pavement marking made "everyday journeys … harder and often unsafe" for elderly people, parents and children "because verges are no longer functioning as they should".

The council's cabinet member for resources, Cllr Ian Albert (Lab), pointed out that introducing TROs would cost the council money that hadn't been budgeted for, while deputy leader Cllr Sean Nolan (Lab) said TROs could cost more than £50,000 per town and take a year to implement.

Cllr Donna Wright (Lab), cabinet member for place, said the authority has already "started discussions" with Hertfordshire County Council about the expected national legislative changes.

But Liberal Democrat Cllr Steve Jarvis suggested that Labour's amendment, which would have meant any changes would not be made until after national changes are confirmed, could be seen as "chuck[ing] this into the long grass".

"We should get on and do it, rather than hang around waiting for the government to do something, maybe one day, maybe never," he said.

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There was widespread agreement across the parties that pavement parking was a problem, with Cllr Ralph Muncer, leader of the Conservative group, describing it as "a concern right across the district".