A MOVE which could see pavement parking banned across mid Essex has been welcomed.

The Government will consult on whether to give councils more power to tackle the problem.

Parking on pavements is banned in London, but elsewhere it is only prohibited for lorries.

Drivers can park if it is not in a dangerous position or causing an obstruction.

Last year the Government launched an inquiry into the problem across the UK.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps set out his plans which could stop selfish drivers who block pedestrians’ way.

The Government will consult on proposals in the summer.

It will also consider how a nationwide ban on pavement parking enforced by councils might work.

Mr Shapps said: “Vehicles parked on the pavement can cause real difficulties for many pedestrians.

“That’s why I am taking action to make pavements safer and I will be launching a consultation to find a long-term solution for this complex issue.”

Mark Heard, district councillor and deputy mayor of Maldon, said he would welcome the move as some drivers’ parking habits left a lot to be desired.

“I speak as a grandfather - it is very difficult when you are pushing a pram and someone is parked on a pavement,” he said.

“Your only options are to either squeeze through you have to go into the road.

“Because it hasn’t been enforced in many years, people think it’s OK and it’s not.”

Mr Heard added the practice was not only an inconvenience, but also dangerous for pedestrians.

“My concern these days is developers are slowly but surely making the roads smaller,” he said.

“Consequentially, the vehicles themselves are getting smaller so they put themselves on either side of the road to park.

“In some cases, some people park half-on and half-off the pavement to get a lorry through.

“That is something I’ve been trying to say to developers for some years - to build roads which are the correct ratio for the cars it accommodates.

Jack Cousens, head of roads policy for the AA, said: “We agree people who park in an anti-social way should be penalised.

“Many drivers in narrow streets are tempted to partially park on the pavement so emergency services and refuse trucks can pass.

“An outright ban could lead to unintended consequences with parking chaos becoming more widespread.”