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Dangerous and Obstructive Parking
Haringey Council has a responsibility to keep its roads and footpaths safe to use.
Illegally parked vehicles cost Haringey Council thousands of pounds a year in damaged paving, damage to grass verges, and cause serious problems for blind, disabled and older people.
Pavement Parking
What action does the council take against pavement parking?
If you park a vehicle with one or more of its wheels on a pavement, or verge, and the area is not exempted from the ban, you risk receiving a Penalty Charge. The pavement parking ban applies at all times, including night time, weekends and public holidays.
There is no exemption from the pavement parking ban for Blue Badge holders.
Why is pavement parking a problem?
Pavements are constructed and provided for pedestrian use only. Vehicles parked on pavements are:
- A hazard to pedestrians, wheelchair users and pedestrians with pushchairs. A vehicle obstructing the footway or restricting the width of the pavement may result in a pedestrian, wheelchair or pushchair having to step off the pavement onto the roadway and therefore put themselves in danger from moving traffic.
- A hazard due to the damage to tarmac or paving stones caused by driving on and off the pavement.
Dropped kerbs/footways
What is a dropped kerb?
A dropped footway is a sloping kerb at the edge of a pavement normally to help pedestrians cross the road (especially those with pushchairs, the elderly and the disabled), or to allow vehicular access to a drive or parking facilities.
If your home or business has a dropped kerb and a vehicle is blocking your access, you can ask us to remove it. A removal vehicle will be sent to assess whether the vehicle is parked illegally and is causing an obstruction, and where appropriate remove the vehicle. The service operates between 7am and 7pm.
Please see Vehicle Crossover (dropped kerbs) for details on how to apply to have a vehicle crossover constructed in order to provide vehicular access to park on your property.
Benefits to having clear dropped kerbs
Parking across a dropped footway can be dangerous and causes difficulties for pedestrians, residents and drivers. Keeping them clear brings the following benefits:
- Improved access for pedestrians using crossing facilities
- Essential access to crossing facilities for those using wheelchairs and pushing buggies
- Better sightlines for pedestrians and drivers using or approaching a dropped footway
- Improve access to driveways for residents, businesses and their visitors
Different rules apply to pedestrian, shared and single-use access ways and motorists are being advised not to park across any pedestrian dropped footways or any other dropped kerb if they are unclear of the rules. If they do they risk being issued with a Penalty Charge Notice (parking ticket) from one of Haringey's Civil Enforcement Officers (formerly known as Parking Attendants).
Improving access by reducing parking on sloping kerbs
The London Local Authorities and Transport for London Act 2003 enables Haringey Council to take enforcement action against motorists for parking in front of dropped footways. The aim of the legislation is to improve access for pedestrians and offer help to residents and businesses blighted by access difficulties.
The part of the legislation that regards enforcement of dropped footways providing access to single residential premises is entirely reliant upon the occupiers of the premises requesting the council to take enforcement action which they cannot do without such a request.
Residents and businesses can call our vehicle pound on 0330 135 8949 to report a vehicle blocking their single use dropped footway. A removal vehicle will be sent to the location to assess whether the vehicle is parked illegally and causing an obstruction, and where appropriate remove the vehicle. The removal vehicles are operational from 8am to 7pm
Where there is a dropped footway to a property with multiple occupiers then we will need to establish that the vehicle owner is not visiting another property within the premises.
Reporting problems
We welcome reports of:
- Dangerous or unauthorised parking
- Other parking problems
Use our online Report a Problem form
Tel: 020 8489 2102
