January 2009 Car News - GBCarLoans.com

3rd January 2009

Parking at Dropped Kerbs

The AA has told parking authorities, that a driver should not get a fine if they park next to a dropped kerb that has no signs or markings of any kind that stipulate they should not park there.

Even more absurdly extreme is the fact that householders and business drivers could be issued £70 penalty charge notices for parking in front of the dropped kerb leading to their own house or business.

In March 2008, the Department for Transport published new parking guidance to councils. It aimed to make Parking rules clearer and fairer. The Department of transport however proposed that the need for signage outside of London. The AA believe that there is a need to stop what they express as 'Anti-Social Parking'. This nuisance parking often blocks pedestrian access as well as access to property and businesses. The AA believe that local authorities have to act against this irrisponsible behaviour.

White lines have been the key to showing the public where access should be kept clear and local authorities have used them widely. Unlike other 'waiting restrictions', local authorities are not required to make traffic regulation orders to enforce this new rule, whilst this may be reasonable the AA calls for a requirement to mark the dropped kerb enforcement area with white paint.

Section 8.59 of the new parking guidance issued in March 2008 stated ".....but outside London traffic signs or road markings must be used to show where the (dropped kerb) prohibitions apply. Many such prohibitions are already indicated – for instance at street corners".

Local authority parking income from penalties and payments amounts to over £1bn per annum is raised through local authority parking penalties, that equates to about eight million penalty notices each year. If you park at a dropped kerb the pre-dicounted penalty is £120 in London and £70 outside..

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