Parking on grass verges and footpaths by Big Tom Driving School

A few years ago Dogsthorpe was chosen by Peterborough City Council to pilot a scheme that focussed on the problem of vehicles parking on grass verges and footpaths.  It designated areas with clear signs and white lines where drivers were allowed to park on the verge/footpath.


Circular street signs were put up that informed drivers that it is not permissible to park half on the road, half on the verge/footpath, and the sign looks like this:

Above is one of the larger versions of this unrecognisable sign in the Highway Code with text, in case there was any confusion caused.  Remember these circular signs are intended to indicate a "prohibition".



And this sign (right) shows the end of the prohibition.

Some Local Authorities will quite happily ticket vehicles that are parked with both wheels of either side of the vehicle on the verge/footpath citing the Disability Discrimination Act.  The logic is that wheelchair and mobility scooter users need to have access on the footpath.  In reality, little regard is given for how much of the footpath is actually affected to warrant a ticket.

My advice is to take care when choosing a spot to park up.  Leaving the four wheels fully but legally on the road, is often correct, despite the effect that has on cyclists, scooters, buses etc that then have a tougher time of passing your parked car.

Be wary of looking to see how others around you have parked, offending in numbers is little defence for the Peterborough City Council parking prohibition car that whizzes round taking photographs of offending vehicles with its camera on the top of the car, which is then used as evidence to enforce parking fines.

There was talk in the press recently that Local Authorities were being instructed to make less use of these money making parking enforcement cars - time will tell if the residents of Dogsthorpe can breathe easy yet.  

In general terms, parking on grass verges and footpaths often does present other problems.  The grass verges can get cut up badly and have very large pot holes in them.  Some drivers think nothing of parking an entire car fully on a grass verge, even when very near junctions.  This practise has road safety implications as it blocks vision for road and footpath users.

BIG TOM Driving School  Intensive Driving Course in Peterborough 01733 306016