Parking half on the pavement

[newkid]

Can anybody help me please?

I'm positive that I was once told by a policeman that it was ok to park with 2 wheels on the pavement (kerb) where the pavement was split into paving slabs and hard standing.

It was a bookable offence to park on the paving slabs, but where the "tarmac bit" (hard standing) was, that's what it was for!

However, even though our residential side roads are not wide enough for parked cars on either side of the road, and all the roads have hard-standing, our local council are now giving and enforcing parking fines for parking on the pavement - they are also doing this evenings and weekends (so when visiting friends, the choice is block the road or get a ticket for parking with two wheels on the hard standing).

Does anyone know what the law says about this? Is the council correct or are the police correct, or did I just imagine the conversation!
However

[teag1rl]

I don't think it's legal to park on the pavement. In fact I don't think it's 'legal' to park in the highway at all, it's just not illegal either in all cases.
If you're considerate and leave enough room for wheelchairs and mum with buggies etc to get past I can't see the problem, But maybe the council have been forced to take this tough stance because there were too many numpties blocking the whole pavement. Of course, it might just be to earn more revenue!

[4getmenot]

It is not legal to park on pavement

[newkid]

So what's the difference between the pacing stones (usually wide enough for buggies, pedestrians, familes, etc!), and the tarmaced hard standing (usually a couple of feet from the road kerb to the paving stones)?

[redcrx]

we only have tarmac pavements around here. Do you think we can park on all of the pavement???? No, neither do i.

There is no difference in the material. You cannot park on the pavement.

[DrFilth]

if you park with only 2 wheels on the pavement you might only have to pay half the fine. check with a solicitor

[jno]

I once parked half on the pavement in a narrow street, to enable other cars to get by more easily while still allowing room for pedestrians. A kindly warden pointed out that this was illegal, whereas if I just parked on the road (single yellow lines) and blocked traffic I'd be ok as they have to allow several minutes' grace before issuing a ticket. He let me off anyway.

I don't think paving material makes any difference

[Toureman]

It is illegal to park or drive on pavemaents but some councils have bylaws that allow you to do this in some areas.

Check with the council.

[tigwig]

I wish my council would enforce fines on people who park on my street. There is loads of cars parked on the path, some with 2 wheels on and some all the way on. They don't seem to care about pedestrians I get sick of pushing my daughter in the middle of the road because I can't get past

[Buenchico]

The only difference the surface might make is to the code on the parking ticket you'll receive. It will either be PCN60 or PCN62 (plus, in either case, a suffix to indicate the number of wheels not on the highway). Parking with one or more wheels on the pavement or verge (of whatever surface) is always a 'contravention' (rather than an 'offence', since most parking matters were de-decriminalised) except when either:
(a) there are official signs permitting parking on the verge or pavement; or
(b) when the vehicle is parked in a 'non-urban' area.

Chris

[Minzeez]

So to follow on roughly the same subject here, is there a certain amount of time that a parking attendant must observe your vehicle committing a contravention before they can issue a ticket? e.g. ticket states that your car was seen from 15:05-15:05 or does it have to be a minimum of 1, 2, 5, or even 10 minutes or more?

Surely it follows that the same time for "from" to "until" on a ticket means the vehicle was observed for less than a minute and the system isn't that draconian?!

Thanks anyone

Minz

[whywhywhywhy]

i have just had an argument with an owner of a black sports car......the gap he left on the pavement was very small...as he had 2 wheels parked on it....i wasnt about 2 push my son into a busy road so carries on carefully, as i got 2 the end of the car my sons rucksack knocked the car.... the bloke jumps out shouting and swearing that i had better not have scratched his car....so in reply i told him in a rather rude manner... he is very luck i did not scratch it all the way down................(annoyed at the way he spoke 2 me when i tryed not 2 knock into the car....oh... and might i add... this car WAS NOT scratched)..........so off i goes.... 5 minuets lated the idot had pulled along side me wiv a mate.....shouting "what did u say?".... so i repeated what i said.....adding that he was the one illegaly parked... he goes on to tell me that he was not on a double yellow....lol.... i told him "i know that... you were parked on the pavement" to which he replied telling me he has tax and calling me a few more names......my reply.....YES ROAD TAX!!!!!!!! and told him not politly 2 go away... this idiot boy racer then shot of... down the road about 50 miles an hour in a 30 zone reving all the way untill out of sight... dont u just hate these ppl??????

[sirwalteraleigh]

You are not allowed to park with 2 wheels on the pavement unless a sign has been erected that illustrates you can. Neither can you park in a road if it blocks the flow of traffic. Unfortunately, councils will ignore common sense and take every opportunity they can to raise revenue throught the motorist, so don't give them the chance. Park wisely and smile knowing you've just deprived them of making more money out of you.