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The Local Government Association has called on the Government to pass laws allowing local authorities to ban pavement parking.
The group, which represents more than 370 councils in England and Wales, said allowing authorities to outlaw pavement parking could free up congested streets and stop pedestrians from walking out into the road.
Its call comes as various groups in Essex, Shropshire, Somerset and Worcester have raised safety concerns about the practice.
Parking on pavements has been outlawed in London for 40 years and motorists are only allowed to park on the street if they receive permission from the local council.
Outside London, mounting the kerb is allowed apart from where vehicles are causing an obstruction. The LGA said authorities can ban the action from certain roads using Traffic Regulation Orders, but added this process is both time-consuming and expensive.
"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," said LGA transport spokesman, Martin Tett.
He added: "Pavement parking and damaged pavements is one of the biggest complaints from pedestrians. In addition, repairing kerbs, verges and pavements damaged by pavement parking is expensive at a time when councils continue to face huge funding pressures as a result of further cuts to funding from the Government. The money spent on this would be better used to plug the £12bn roads repair bill we currently face as a nation."
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