Blocking access to public highway - by parking in front of THEIR drive

SillyOne

Hi, would appreciate views on where I stand with this one. I live in an end of terrace which is also at the end of the cul de sac, the terraces each have a 'driveway' (the width of the house) that is part of the plot and sits between the house and directly onto the road. There is a continuous dropped kerb along the front of all of these drives - about 8 houses. There's also a non-dropped kerb opposite the drives which people park alongside and when someone is parked there, fine, as you can get past... (The road part of the cul de sac is actually the width of a 2 lane road)

The issue is that a lot of the people in this row of houses have visitors / 3rd car which they park "blocking in" their own spaces, again fine, however in the case of my neighbours if they do this it blocks my access on or off the drive, as being end of cul de sac there isn't physically space to manoeuvre to get past the parked car, if there are people legitimately parked "opposite" it. Their car isn't parked OVER my drive as such - but is blocking me from getting out.

Is there anything I can legitimately do in this situation? Have tried speaking to them, note on windscreen etc which seems to have an effect for a while, but communication isn't good and they seem to keep doing it.

Checked my deeds and that drive is definitely part of the plot of the house and not a "shared" space with right of way etc. for what that's worth.

As a secondary question - what is "blocking" access to the public highway really? If I have to make a "84 point turn" to squeeze past them is that considered acceptable?

Norman_Castle

As you live at the end of a cul-de-sac just drive as far as you can and leave your car there. Don't rush to move it when others can't get out.

sheramber

Knock and ask them to move the car so that you can get in or out when you need access..

They'll soon get fed up.

neilmcl

SillyOne wrote: »

Hi, would appreciate views on where I stand with this one. I live in an end of terrace which is also at the end of the cul de sac, the terraces each have a 'driveway' (the width of the house) that is part of the plot and sits between the house and directly onto the road. There is a continuous dropped kerb along the front of all of these drives - about 8 houses. There's also a non-dropped kerb opposite the drives which people park alongside and when someone is parked there, fine, as you can get past... (The road part of the cul de sac is actually the width of a 2 lane road)

The issue is that a lot of the people in this row of houses have visitors / 3rd car which they park "blocking in" their own spaces, again fine, however in the case of my neighbours if they do this it blocks my access on or off the drive, as being end of cul de sac there isn't physically space to manoeuvre to get past the parked car, if there are people legitimately parked "opposite" it. Their car isn't parked OVER my drive as such - but is blocking me from getting out.

Is there anything I can legitimately do in this situation? Have tried speaking to them, note on windscreen etc which seems to have an effect for a while, but communication isn't good and they seem to keep doing it.

Checked my deeds and that drive is definitely part of the plot of the house and not a "shared" space with right of way etc. for what that's worth.

As a secondary question - what is "blocking" access to the public highway really? If I have to make a "84 point turn" to squeeze past them is that considered acceptable?

So are they completely blocking you in or simply making it difficult to access the highway?

SillyOne

Often completely blocked, although not directly crossing my driveway, no way to get round it. Physically much less than a car width between it and the parked cars the other side of the road.

Occasionally very difficult or perhaps not possible - I haven't atte!pted it but would be a couple of inches on each side and quite a bit of back and forth. Not sure what is "reasonable" access to the road?

Minrich

If they are blocking your access then that is an obstruction offence , the degree of blockage is very dependent on who is viewing the obstruction . Some people are better at maneuvering than others .

Le_Kirk

Check out this thread, some useful information about blocking/not blocking and dropped kerbs.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5298987

neilmcl

OP, before the usual comments about letting tyres down, covering the cars in birdseed etc come along, you might consider sticking a polite note on the cars involved and having a word with your neighbours.

SillyOne

Thanks all, I have had a word with them (perhaps not quite a 'quiet' word!) and have put notes under the windscreen twice but they seem to forget after a while... there's also a bit of a language barrier I think. Tempted to write a more strongly worded note with reference to the specific Highway Code / Law if there is such a thing??

I understand some are better at manoevring than others, curious as to what's a "reasonable" amount of back and forth in order that they are not blocking the road?

I have considered a word with their letting agents about this on the grounds of "nuisance" but want to make sure I am in the right - that they can be blocking access to the public highway (thus committing that offence) even though physically, the "blocking" car is only over their driveway and not mine - but by parking it there, they don't leave enough space to get 'around' that car from my driveway when others are legally parked across the street? (They have done this kind of parking when cars were already parked over the street, it's not just that it was empty so they thought it was OK...!)

neilmcl

Doesn't matter if it's parked across your driveway or not. If it's causing an obstruction, then it's committing an offence.

bod1467

Is this road adopted by the council?