A Saudi-registered Rolls-Royce worth nearly £250,000 was dramatically lifted from London’s Grosvenor Square this week, marking a new phase in Westminster City Council’s crackdown on illegal pavement parking in the heart of Mayfair.
The removal followed mounting complaints from local residents about luxury vehicles routinely blocking footways outside the Chancery Rosewood hotel, a high-end property located on the former site of the United States Embassy.
Westminster City Council said guests staying at the hotel had been parking supercars illegally on the pavement, forcing pedestrians to step into the road or weave between vehicles. Officials said repeated penalty charge notices had failed to stop the behaviour.
In response, the council deployed a relocation vehicle to lift the blue Rolls-Royce from Grosvenor Square and transport it several streets away. Images released by the council showed the car suspended in mid-air as it was removed.
According to Westminster City Council, other cars parked on the footway outside the hotel were moved voluntarily by their owners on Tuesday, following warnings from enforcement officers operating in the area.
A spokesperson for the council said the decision to physically remove vehicles was driven by frustration over the limits of traditional enforcement. The spokesperson said that issuing fines alone had proven ineffective in tackling the problem.
“The usual approach of issuing penalty charge notices has not worked,” the spokesperson said. “The vehicles we photographed have Saudi numberplates, so the chances of recovering the costs are virtually nil.”
Both Westminster City Council and Transport for London are able to pursue unpaid fines through private enforcement agencies when vehicles are registered in Europe. However, officials said cars registered outside Europe present serious challenges.
The spokesperson added that the wealth of the owners was also a factor. “These vehicles include Rolls-Royces and Lamborghinis. Their owners are so wealthy that fines barely register as a deterrent,” they said.
The council emphasised that the enforcement action was not targeted at specific nationalities but at behaviour that threatens public safety and accessibility. Pavement parking, officials said, poses risks to pedestrians, wheelchair users, and parents with prams.
Max Sullivan, Westminster’s cabinet member for streets, said the situation in Mayfair had reached an unacceptable level. He said residents and visitors alike had raised concerns about navigating pavements obstructed by luxury vehicles.
“Those on foot shouldn’t have to run a gauntlet of illegally and selfishly parked supercars when trying to walk around Westminster,” Sullivan said. “Public space belongs to everyone, not just those with the most expensive cars.”
He added that the council would apply the same standards across the borough, regardless of the type of vehicle involved. “We will not tolerate dangerous pavement parking, whether it’s a Lime bike or a Lamborghini,” he said.
The Chancery Rosewood hotel was contacted for comment about its guests’ parking practices. At the time of publication, no response had been received from the hotel’s management.
Grosvenor Square, one of Mayfair’s most prominent locations, has long attracted high-end vehicles, particularly during peak tourist seasons and major London events. Residents say the problem has intensified with the opening of luxury hotels in the area.
Local campaigners welcomed the council’s action, saying it sent a strong message that wealth does not place drivers above the law. Some residents described the sight of supercars dominating pavements as both intimidating and hazardous.
Westminster City Council said further enforcement operations are planned in Mayfair and other hotspots where pavement parking is reported. Officials warned that vehicle relocation will continue if drivers ignore restrictions.
The council said its priority remains keeping pavements clear and safe, particularly in busy central London areas where footfall is high. Removing vehicles, it said, is a last resort when fines and warnings fail.
For now, the sight of a suspended Rolls-Royce has become a symbol of the council’s tougher stance—one that signals a shift from paperwork to physical action in the battle over London’s pavements.
This article was created using automation technology and was thoroughly edited and fact-checked by one of our editorial staff members
