Image copyright Roxane Wephre Image caption Police are not treating the crash as being terrorist-related

Three people were taken to hospital after a car ploughed into a large group of people outside a north London pub.

Witnesses reported bodies being thrown "in the air" when the car mounted the pavement outside the Old Queen's Head in Islington on Saturday night.

Two knives were found at the scene but police said they are not treating the crash as terrorist-related.

Five men have been arrested. None of those hurt are thought to have life-threatening injuries.

Image copyright Shulem Stern Image caption One knife was found in the car while another was discovered nearby

Cassandra Pessaran told the BBC there were "30-odd" people standing outside the pub in Essex Road just before 23:00 BST.

She said she heard "screeching tyres" then saw a vehicle "playing bumper cars with about three other cars... before going straight into a crowd of people".

Aris Papachronopoulos said he "saw three people in the air" after the car drove "into the whole group".

Two men and a woman are being treated in hospital.

Image caption Witnesses said about 30 people had been outside the Old Queen's Head pub

Four of the arrested men, who remain in custody, were held are aged between 17 and 19.

They were detained on suspicion of a variety of offences including GBH with intent and possession of points and blades, the Met said.

One knife was found in the car while another was discovered nearby.

A fifth man was arrested on Sunday afternoon on suspicion of involvement in the incident. he is also in custody.

Islington South and Finsbury MP Emily Thornberry called the crash a "really horrible and frightening incident".

But she said it was important that people "keep calm... and must not panic" as police had said "it does not look like a terrorist incident".</s>Local authorities want more power to ban inconsiderate motorists parking on pavements.

Drivers who mount the kerb when parking are putting lives at risk by forcing pedestrians including the blind and parents with prams to walk in the road, according to the Local Government Association (LGA).

A ban on pavement parking has been in place in London for 40 years, but it is generally allowed outside the capital on roads without other restrictions such as double yellow lines.

Communities across the country have issued safety warnings over the issue in recent months, including childminders in Worcester, guide dog trainers in Shropshire and residents in Essex.

Local authorities who want to stop the practice must currently use Traffic Regulation Orders, which they claim are time-consuming, expensive and bureaucratic.

Martin Tett, transport spokesman at the LGA, which represents more than 370 councils in England and Wales, said it “seems a nonsense” that those outside London do not have more control to stop pavement parking.

He said: “Local authorities need this power to respond to concerns raised by their communities, for example if a street is becoming dangerously congested or pedestrians are being forced to step out into the street to get round parked vehicles.

“This is particularly dangerous for blind or partially sighted people and mums and dads with prams.”

The LGA warned that local authorities have limited funds to repair kerbs, verges and pavements damaged by vehicle tyres and said this money would be better used to help plug a £12 billion roads repair bill.

Mr Tett said councils would “carefully consult with communities” before bans were implemented.

AA president Edmund King warned that a blanket ban “simply won’t work” as certain roads would become blocked if drivers cannot partially park on the pavement.

He said: “Some drivers think they are helping the flow of traffic by parking on the pavement, but too often little to no consideration is given to how someone in a wheelchair or a parent with a child in a buggy will pass their vehicle.

“The AA cautiously welcomes this measure, but a thorough investigation of roads must happen before any implementation takes place.”

RAC spokesman Simon Williams said: “Our research has found that 62% of motorists report there is some degree of pavement parking close to where they live and three-quarters (74%) say that parked vehicles end up blocking pavements in their neighbourhood.

“But when it comes to tackling the pavement parking issue, motorists are split. Most (48%) believe it is acceptable to park on a pavement with one or two wheels, provided access for pavement users is not blocked, but a sizeable minority (37%) think the remedy is an outright ban on all parking on pavements.”</s>Most motorists will have mounted the pavement from time to time - narrow streets and bigger cars than ever before sometimes leave drivers with little choice.

But recently more and more motorists appear to be taking pavement parking to a whole new level.

Rather than just encroaching on the kerb drivers are parking their entire car on the pavement.

Is it legal? And what does it mean for pedestrians, parents with prams, wheelchairs users and members of the public who are blind or partially-sighted?

A pavement parking ban has been in force in London since 1974 but, elsewhere, the situation is a bit more murky and far from consistent.

Unless there is a sign permitting parking on the pavement in the capital it is outlawed and motorists who flout the law face a £100 fine.

We asked the authorities in Liverpool what powers they have and how easy it is to enforce them.

And it appears our over-stretched police force has the power, but not necessarily to resource, to tackle the problem while the council is frustrated by restrictions and has the support of campaign groups in lobbying for greater powers.

A Merseyside Police spokesman said: “Driving a vehicle onto the pavement to park is a criminal offence under the Road Traffic Act. 

 

 "Merseyside Police will take action when there is danger or an obstruction being caused to members of the public or businesses, and we would strongly encourage people to park in legitimate spaces at all times.”

A council spokesman said: “We are only allowed to tackle parking on pavements where there are yellow lines on the road, and where we can we will take enforcement action because it causes problems for pedestrians, buggies and wheelchairs.

"All councils are lobbying the Government for pavement parking enforcement powers which London has, and are being strongly supported by disability groups, police and motoring groups.”

The Royal National Institute for the Blind

Royal National Institute for the Blind campaigns officer Natalie Doig said: "RNIB is calling on councils to work with local police forces, depending on local arrangements, to enforce clear pavements and prevent cars parking on them.

"We would like to see all councils adopt policies London local authorities have which ban parking on pavements entirely.

"Enforcement of such policies is crucial, as well as schemes to raise awareness in neighbourhoods about the dangers parking on pavements pose to local people.

“Cars parked on pavements are a real danger to those with sight loss, with many people reporting to us that they’ve injured themselves on wing mirrors or the cars themselves.

"Blind and partially sighted people need clear pavements so they can navigate safely when they’re out and about, free from fear of injury or danger.

"We know many other pedestrians such as parents with prams, wheelchair users, and older people support our campaign to remove street obstacles like this.”</s>Drivers who mount the kerb when parking are putting lives at risk by forcing pedestrians including the blind and parents with prams to walk in the road, according to the Local Government Association (LGA). A ban on pavement parking has been in place in London for 40 years, but it is generally allowed outside the capital on roads without other restrictions such as double yellow lines.

Communities across the country have issued safety warnings over the issue in recent months, including childminders in Worcester, guide dog trainers in Shropshire and residents in Essex. Local authorities who want to stop the practice must currently use Traffic Regulation Orders, which they claim are time-consuming, expensive and bureaucratic.

Martin Tett, transport spokesman at the LGA, which represents more than 370 councils in England and Wales, said it "seems a nonsense" that those outside London do not have more control to stop pavement parking.

He said: "Local authorities need this power to respond to concerns raised by their communities, for example if a street is becoming dangerously congested or pedestrians are being forced to step out into the street to get round parked vehicles. "This is particularly dangerous for blind or partially sighted people and mums and dads with prams." The LGA warned that local authorities have limited funds to repair kerbs, verges and pavements damaged by vehicle tyres and said this money would be better used to help plug a £12 billion roads repair bill.

Mr Tett said councils would "carefully consult with communities" before bans were implemented. AA president Edmund King warned that a blanket ban "simply won't work" as certain roads would become blocked if drivers cannot partially park on the pavement. He said: "Some drivers think they are helping the flow of traffic by parking on the pavement, but too often little to no consideration is given to how someone in a wheelchair or a parent with a child in a buggy will pass their vehicle. "The AA cautiously welcomes this measure, but a thorough investigation of roads must happen before any implementation takes place."</s>Local authorities are demanding more power to ban inconsiderate motorists from parking on pavements.

Drivers who mount the kerb when parking are putting lives at risk by forcing pedestrians to walk in the road, the Local Government Association (LGA) has said.

A ban on pavement parking has been in place in London for 40 years, but there are fewer restrictions outside the capital, added to which, councils say the current system of Traffic Regulation Orders are time-consuming, expensive and bureaucratic.

Martin Tett, transport spokesman at the LGA, which represents more than 370 councils in England and Wales, said it "seems a nonsense" that those outside London do not have more control to stop pavement parking.

"Local authorities need this power to respond to concerns raised by their communities, for example if a street is becoming dangerously congested or pedestrians are being forced to step out into the street to get round parked vehicles," he said.

"This is particularly dangerous for blind or partially sighted people and mums and dads with prams."

Pulling up on the kerb can also damage the pavement, and the LGA has warned local authorities have limited funds to repair kerbs, verges and pavements damaged by vehicle tyres.

The money, they say, would be better used to help plug a £12 billion roads repair bill.

Mr Tett said councils would "carefully consult with communities" before bans were implemented.

A Department for Transport spokesman said:"Councils already have the power to ban drivers from using pavements and we are looking at whether more can be done to make it easier for them to tackle problem areas."

AA president Edmund King warned against a blanket ban, saying certain roads would become blocked if drivers cannot partially park on the pavement.
A vehicle mounts the pavement and runs into pedestrians in Islington, London, injuring 4. The teenage perpetrators are found carrying offensive weapons, but are not assumed to be terrorists.