Is parking on pavement legal?

tralee · 19-04-2005, 13:46

I have recently moved into a terraced property without a drive or garage which doesnt bother me as I havent got a car. However,a neighbour parks his van on the pavement outside my house, about 2 feet away from my window. He does not park on his own pavement which remains clear. I am a woman on my own and feel worried about asking him to move his van as I do not want to cause trouble but I feel he is taking advantage of the fact I am a woman on my own. Why on earth doesnt he park outside his own window for goodness sake!
Can someone tell me what is the best way forward here? and is it legal to do what he is doing?

HotPhil · 19-04-2005, 13:48

I don't think it's illegal to park on the pavement as such, but I think I've read that it is illegal to block it. In either case a friendly word should be the first step.

Shiesh · 19-04-2005, 13:49

Contact the council as this is 'causing an obstruction' and can be dealt with by them.

Shiesh · 19-04-2005, 13:54

Quote:

Originally posted by hotphil
I don't think it's illegal to park on the pavement as such, but I think I've read that it is illegal to block it. In either case a friendly word should be the first step.

I wouldn't have a friendly word in case he does take offence...he could've been parking like this for many years !!

Parking on the pavement 'is causing an obstruction' ...whether he likes it or not and parking in front of your window isn't very neighbourly either so he doesn't sound like he is up for an award in the 'Considerate Neighbour' awards category does he??????

The council can approach him and you can remain anon that way!!

If it doesn't stop complain again and again til he does!!

tralee · 19-04-2005, 14:15

yes shieshuk, thats what I instinctively thought about him not being very neighbourly and probably not open to a polite request from me. But Im not sure if I contact the council..he will guess it is me and think i am going behind his back. It was an elderly woman lived there before me and I think he just started parking there cause he knew she would nt say anything. Im not an arguementative person. I am quite shy and this is worrying me. I just dont want to have to look outside my window straight into the window of his van every day.

beansfeast · 19-04-2005, 14:22

I would suggest that if you really don't feel like appproaching him, maybe asking a friend who has a boyfriend or something who would do it for you and maybe pretend to be your brother or something.

Failing that, wait until the van isn't there and place several big pot plants along the edge of the kerb stopping him putting the van there. It's hardly his right to complain, and if he does or even moves them himself then get the council involved immediately... good luck!

Shiesh · 19-04-2005, 14:26

He may guess it is you - but he will never have the proof!!

You could always discuss it with other neighbours first and get them on your side .....so if you have any problems they can be there to reassure you .......but I still think the best approach is to speak with the council first I am sure they will be very knowledgable on the subject after dealing with similar cases.

Good Luck

Musey · 19-04-2005, 14:59

Quote:

Originally posted by Briano
Failing that, wait until the van isn't there and place several big pot plants along the edge of the kerb stopping him putting the van there. It's hardly his right to complain, and if he does or even moves them himself then get the council involved immediately... good luck!

I wouldn't do that as then you would be causing an obstruction yourself. Best thing to do is contact the council and see what they say first.

beansfeast · 19-04-2005, 15:00

Quote:

Originally posted by Musey
I wouldn't do that as then you would be causing an obstruction yourself. Best thing to do is contact the council and see what they say first.

Causing an obstruction to what, a van parking on the pavement!?

Mo · 19-04-2005, 15:06

Quote:

Originally posted by tralee
[B] Why on earth doesnt he park outside his own window for goodness sake!
[B]

Because they never do tralee.

As far as I am aware it is illegal to park and cause an obstruction. Would it be possible to get a pram through on the pavement? If not then I would say that he could be approached by the police and asked to move it.

This used to happen to me when my kids were at the pram stage. There was a total idiot who insisted on parking on the pavement on our estate. This was in a dangerous place on the brow of a hill and I refused to go onto the road. Every day without fail I would push my pram right over his garden rather than walk on the road. I used to long for him to come out to me but he never did.

Tricky one because if you approach him and he is unreasonable (which he probably is or he would park the darn thing outside his own house) and then you contact the police then he would know that it was you who had reported him.

max · 19-04-2005, 15:14

It's the police's concern not the council's.

My partner once complained about a van obstructing the pavement where she worked. The police told her they do not consider it an offence but that driving on the pavement is. She then told them that the driver would have had to drive on the pavement in order to park which they hadn't considered. They promised that next time a patrol car was in the area they would 'have a word' and sure enough the van was not seen again.

My advice is to talk to your local community policeman.

foo_fighter · 19-04-2005, 18:05

Quote:

Originally posted by max
It's the police's concern not the council's.

Not sure about that, parking enforcement transferred to the council on 4 April this year...

...obstruction though, that might still be with the police I suppose...

...anybody know for sure?

Shiesh · 19-04-2005, 21:21

I am no expert but always assumed 'an obstruction on the public highway or public footpath/right of way' was the police (high risk) and council (general/low risk)!!!

An element of common sense here.....!!

You wouldn't call out the police if you discovered a pot hole/tree root or a badly parked vehicle but you would if a lorry was losing it's load along the M1 or your neighbour starting digging up the front of your house to mark out his own parking bay !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Musey · 19-04-2005, 21:45

Quote:

Originally posted by Briano
Causing an obstruction to what, a van parking on the pavement!?

No lol to pedestrians, if the van is causing an obstuction then the council should deal with it, putting your own obstuction in place to stop the van isn't right either. 2 wrongs don't make a right etc etc

Don_Kiddick · 19-04-2005, 23:29

I took this quote from a site about abandoned vehicles

Quote:

The police also have the power to immediately remove any vehicle which is left in breach of local traffic regulation orders, or is causing an obstruction or is likely to cause a danger

which you can read here:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/Topics/Home...703&chk=NF0cGN
taken from:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/Topics/Home...652&chk=u0dayM

hope it's a bit of help?

Good luck

Strix · 19-04-2005, 23:41

There's a street near me where everybody parks half on/half off the kerb, and the whole street got ticketed one weekend.

It is an offence to park on the pavement.

And it sounds like the council intend to get tough over such problems soon. There's ads on the radio

Saxon · 20-04-2005, 06:36

Take a look at the Highway Code, in particular section 218.

http://www.highwaycode.gov.uk/22.htm#218

BoroughGal · 21-04-2005, 04:46

The council now deal with people parking on lines (single/double yellow ones, etc). The police will deal with obstructions.

But be aware, he can continue to park outside your house (albeit not on the pavement). If he pays road tax, he can park where ever he chooses, providing it isn't illegally, just as you can.

Liose · 10-04-2006, 08:40

This is a nightmare situation - I totally sympathise - we have a grassy bank in front of us and our neighbours drive over it all the time which has churned it into a mud bath...the council won't do a thing.

There are also about 6 people working for Ford Windows who have those massive white vans on Smalldale Road at Frecheville - the reason it annoys me so much is because they don't ever park the huge things in front of their own houses or even leave them at work which would be nice and sensible- they park in front of my mother-in-laws. It is disgraceful. But why complain? Nobody ever does anything about it.

garryn · 10-04-2006, 09:39

Put your wheelie bin out when you know he's due back?