Lancashire County Council wants the law changed so that it can tackle the problems caused by pavement parking.

Currently, only the police can take action against drivers who block footpaths – unless there are already parking restrictions in force in the road itself.

Cabinet member for highways Keith Iddon said that he wanted to see the offence of obstructing the highway decriminalised. That would mean the authority’s own parking enforcement teams could issue fixed penalty notices in circumstances where the practice was causing difficulty for pedestrians.

However, County Cllr Iddon told a meeting of the full council that he did not want to see a blanket ban on pavement parking in Lancashire, as has existed in London since 1974.

“It’s a very important issue, because we are a very diverse county. In London, the city has adapted to the ban – in Lancashire, we aren’t that fortunate,” he said.

Like many other parts of the country, Lancashire has some streets so narrow that if drivers always had to park flat on the road, other vehicles would not be able to pass – effectively creating parking restrictions where none currently exist.

A parliamentary select committee report into pavement parking last year recommended outlawing it right across England – and the government has said that will carry out a public consultation into the possibility. However, local authorities would be permitted to issue exemptions under the proposal – provided an impact assessment was carried out.

The decriminalisation of highway obstruction, as favoured by the county council, was another of the transport select committee’s recommendations, because parking offences are “not a priority for the police”.

County Cllr Gillian Oliver, who raised the issue at full council after receiving numerous complaints from residents in her Preston South West division, supported the move for shifting power and responsibility for enforcement of pavement parking rules to County Hall.

“It should be a matter for councils, because it is difficult for the police to enforce something which many people probably won’t realise is a criminal offence.

“However, a change in legislation will take time and so it would be good to see the police and county council to team up to do something in the meantime,” said County Cllr Oliver.

Lancashire Constabulary was approached for comment.