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Access Protection Lines - enforceable?
pewe - 23/12/15 at 11:42 AM

Thanks to the local council making another residential area "Residents only" parking our road has become a dumping ground for untaxed/unlicensed vehicles, overnight and commuter parking.
Some of the bell-ends, despite polite notices left on their windscreens encroach on access protection lines making access to driveways difficult at best, impossible at worst.
So, collective, are the lines enforceable and if so by whom?
If not any practical suggestions, short of criminal damage?
TIA, Pewe10


ianm67 - 23/12/15 at 12:06 PM

Not enforceable by law by the looks of things:





pewe - 23/12/15 at 12:11 PM

Thanks - that's what my local councillor replied.
However someone-else sent me this which seems to indicate plod or even PCSO's could take action:Highway obstruction
I've gone back to him and asked for his thoughts - watch this space....
Cheers, Pewe


nick205 - 23/12/15 at 12:13 PM

Can't advise as to enforce-ability, I suspect it's one of those good will things down to the motorist.

That said, our primary school has added double yellow lines and attracted police presence to instill better parent parking skills - there are some dozy people around


nick205 - 23/12/15 at 12:15 PM

A further thought, have you looked it up in the highway code?

Could be enforce-able depending on what it says.


r1_pete - 23/12/15 at 12:19 PM

A tatty old land rover or similar parked in my drive would be my answer, 'cause this problems manoeuvring out if you wish'

15 or so years back, maybe more, when the school runs started to take off, one of the locals put a fork lift in his front driveway, with a notice on stating any cars obstructing his drive would be removed.....


Charlie_Zetec - 23/12/15 at 01:27 PM

I thought you were not allowed to obstruct access to privately-owned property? Personally, I'd put a sign up on the driveway/garden saying that "Any vehicles found to be obstructing access to private property will be forcibly removed, and we accept no liability for any damaged caused as a result." Have a word with a local 4x4 owner with a tow strap, and I'm sure if they were to move the obstructing vehicle so that it blocked the highway, the Council would soon get interested....


micksalt - 23/12/15 at 02:10 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Charlie_Zetec
I thought you were not allowed to obstruct access to privately-owned property?


Not so much for access, but to prevent egress to the public highway is in breach of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 Section 54


cliftyhanger - 23/12/15 at 02:14 PM

Yep, my understanding is that if you are blocked on your drive and cannot get out, the police will get involved (but it takes a while)
They are not interested if you cannot get onto your driveway.

However, if vehicles are not taxed/insured/mot'd etc (so easy to check) then teh police really ought to have a look. Or at least DVLA.


theconrodkid - 23/12/15 at 03:38 PM

where i used to live,one of my wanktard neighbours parked on my drive so i couldnt get out,i called plod and they came,he drove it up the road where they promptly nicked him for no tax


rusty nuts - 23/12/15 at 06:58 PM

I once came home and found a rep parking in a private parking place taking up two spaces so I couldn't park without blocking my or my neighbours drives . When asked if he could move forwards a touch he replied" you'll have to wait " so I parked close to his front bumper and moved another car as close to his rear bumper as I could then told him he would have to wait. Within 15minutes he wanted to go but I made him wait 3hours . He never parked there again!


blakep82 - 23/12/15 at 08:29 PM

http://www.sgs-engineering.com/garage-equipment/wheel-dollies/ws2000-680kg-wheel-skates

these, or a set of 4, will make a useful addition for moving your car around in he garage, i'm not suggesting it gets used anywhere else of course


joneh - 23/12/15 at 08:50 PM

I quite often fantasise about owning a tatty old Landrover with bull bars....

We get a lot of curb parked cars that block buggy access on the pavement. Amazingly though, I still manage to get by. Just need a small run up.

[Edited on 23/12/15 by joneh]


motorcycle_mayhem - 24/12/15 at 09:02 AM

We can all fantasize about how to solve this, but my experience clearly concludes that any attempt to do anything untoward with a car obstructing your driveway will result in you being arrested for criminal damage.

Even positioning a trolley jack under the rear axle of a van and edging it back a bit... it really is a terrible situation. The Police don't want to know about an obstructing vehicle, untaxed, uninsured - but they sure as hell seem interested in you when you take your own action.

Only way seems to be put up and shut up with the 'me, me, me' generation.


MikeR - 24/12/15 at 10:45 AM

Unfortunately you're right, which is why a couple of obstacles front and rear of the offending vehicle is probably
the best bet - especially if you have a warning sign access required at all times for deliveries


nick205 - 24/12/15 at 11:53 AM

Guy local to me insists on parking his Audi Q7 at the end of his drive on Saturdays during footy season. His house is last on the road into the park where footy training takes place. He gets parked in regardless and in my view would be better staying in bed rather than moving his car. It's also worth pointing out that the park and footy training pre-dates his house by many years as well.