STOP Parking on Street Corners

I’m so bored of asking the Police to do something about residents parking on street corners it’s beyond a joke. Every time I see a Police Officer I mention the same issue, just to see if anything gets done about it but it doesn’t. 

My specific issue is with a local junction which I have to navigate every day. I did speak to the vehicle owner but he showed no interest. They now own a third car and have parked this even closer to the junction!

A seemingly minor issue but to me it is important as it is essentially an accident waiting to happen. And only when a child is injured on their way to school will something get done.

I’m not willing to wait for that to happen…

What I have learned over time is that those in power respond to public pressure if it is backed up by the laws of the land…

Rule 243 of the Highway Code says DO NOT stop or park opposite or within 10 metres (32 feet) of a junction, except in an authorised parking space. While Rule 243 is advisory (using “do not” rather than “must not”), it is backed by several formal laws that can lead to fines or prosecution: 

• Obstruction: Under Regulation 103 of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986, it is an offence to cause an “unnecessary obstruction” of the road. If parking on a corner blocks the path of other vehicles—especially emergency services—police can issue a fine.
• Dangerous Position: The Road Traffic Act 1988 makes it an offence to leave a vehicle in a “dangerous position”. Parking on a bend or corner that severely restricts visibility is often interpreted by courts as a dangerous position.

Who Enforces What on Public Roads

• The Police: They are the only authority that can act against dangerous or obstructive parking where there are no formal controls (like yellow lines), such as parking too close to a junction or on a bend. This remains a criminal matter reported via the non-emergency 101 service.
• Local Councils: Most councils in England and Wales have “Civil Parking Enforcement” powers. Their Civil Enforcement Officers (CEOs) can issue Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) for breaches of existing traffic orders, such as parking on double yellow lines near a corner.

The Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), Matthew Barber, focuses on the 2024-2029 Police and Crime Plan, built on three pillars: Protecting Communities, Protecting People, and Protecting Property.  

• Protecting Communities: Strengthening neighbourhood policing, increasing visibility, tackling anti-social behaviour (ASB), and addressing rural crime.

I’d suggest parking on a street corner is anti-social behaviour because it shows no consideration for others.

I’d heard you can complete a survey to say what you want to see but it is all a bit too generic for me. It doesn’t allow you to say much… just tick some boxes… https://survey.alchemer.eu/s3/90503915/OPCC-public-consultation

When I was a Cllr and travellers camped on Sutherland Grange, the advice was that the local council can do very little as the travellers are not intimidated by half a dozen community wardens. What they fear is 3 van loads of coppers in riot gear coming to move them on and that happens if enough residents contact the police about the same incident. So mass emailing works for that.

Perhaps, for those of us who are cheesed off with cars parking on corners then we need to follow a similar action. If we all email Matthew sharing our individual concerns over the topic of street corner parking then it will have to come up his to-do list and eventually it will become a core measure for local police.

Bobbies will then get recognition for the number of street corner tickets they issue and so will start acting, rather than ignoring the problem. Offenders will then have to choose between a very realistic chance of getting a parking ticket or walking a few yards to avoid a fine.

So please, contact Matthew Barber, The Thames Valley Police Crime Commissioner, via his contact form https://matthewbarber.co.uk/contact or simply email pcc@thamesvalley.police.uk and start your subject line with #StreetCornerParking and tell him your story.

There is an election next year and if the PCC post still exists, he’ll be keen to address this if it becomes a hot topic. Over to you…

Thank you.

Jon