Parking on grass verges or pavements

Introduction

In some areas of the city parking on grass verges or pavements is a persistent problem as it can reduce the verge to an unsightly state and cause damage to pavements. It can also obstruct the highway preventing pedestrians and wheelchair users from accessing roads and footways if there is no other pathway. Verge parking can also cause a hazard to other motorists especially if the vehicle is parked on a bend, narrow road or junction and could prevent emergency vehicles from attending an incident. 

In other areas of the city verge and pavement parking can be an alternative to prohibiting or reducing on street parking space. It can reduce road obstructions by allowing vehicles to part mount wide pavements or verges and keep the road clear for traffic to flow.

What we can do

It is not an offence to park a motor vehicle, with the exemption of a HGV, on a grass verge or pavement unless it is causing an obstruction or there is a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) in place prohibiting it. If there is an obstruction of the road or pavement this is the responsibility of the police to investigate and enforce. A Traffic Regulation Order will be indicated by either signs or road markings to show parking is prohibited. The council’s parking enforcement team are responsible for enforcing breaches of Traffic Regulation Orders by the issue of Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs).

The council is aware of the varying levels of support from residents on an outright ban of verge and pavement parking in the city. From 9 July 2018 a verge and pavement parking policy is in place whereby a Traffic Regulation Order prohibiting parking on verges and pavements can be activated locally. Subject to the necessary budget being available the council will activate the scheme locally in one of the following circumstances:

  1. There is a request from residents locally and the scheme is desired by a sufficient number of affected residents. This process is outlined below under ‘How to request a verge and pavement parking restriction in your area’
  2. A request is received from the emergency services as it is hindering their emergency vehicle access, dangerously obstructing views or presenting a danger to the public.
  3. If the location is being used to park vehicles for advertising purposes or another nuisance and there are no residents likely to be affected nearby.
  4. Following a request from a highways inspector where the verge or pavement is  being damaged such that there is a health and safety concern and/or significant cost is being incurred to carry out repairs.

Request a verge and pavement parking restriction in your area

In areas where there is currently no restriction on parking on the verges or pavement residents can request one for the area they live by contacting the council. Residents may not request one for streets in which they do not live.

Email: vergeparking@peterborough.gov.uk 

Write to:

Verge parking
Peterborough City Council
Sand Martin House
Bittern Way
Fletton Quays
Peterborough
PE2 8TY

A resident requesting a restriction will become the lead resident and will be asked to demonstrate there is support for the scheme by mobilising their neighbours to either contact the council individually or submit a signed petition with supporting residents names and addresses. A petition template can be downloaded below.

VergeParkingPetitionForm63KBpdf
Size: 63KBFile format: pdf

How requests are processed

If there is sufficient support relative to the size of the street the council will seek the approval of the relevant ward Councillors, as well as the cabinet member responsible for Communities and Environmental Capital. Upon receipt of this approval the council will hold an informal consultation of all affected residents. A letter will be sent inviting residents to complete an online survey or submit their opinion on the scheme.

How schemes are activated and enforced

The area where the prohibition of parking is to be applied will be signed in accordance with legal requirements and local residents written to. All areas where a scheme is place will be listed below.

After a two-week warning period the scheme will be enforced by parking enforcement officers issuing PCNs to offending vehicles. Enforcement officers will check areas where a scheme is in place at random times. Requests for enforcement can be sent to vergeparking@peterborough.gov.uk. Officers cannot be deployed immediately as they are engaged elsewhere but patrol routes can be adapted to tackle persistent offenders or problem times. Officers must observe offending vehicles at the time, no enforcement action can be taken retrospectively based on photos sent in by residents.

Places where verge and pavement parking is restricted

Double or single yellow lines on the road apply from the centre of the carriageway to the edge of the public highway. This includes any verge, pavement or margin, therefore you must not park on the verge or pavement where yellow lines are adjacent.

There is an existing special prohibition of verge parking in the old Dogsthorpe area of the city. This includes the streets encircled by Eastern Avenue (incl.), Welland Road, Birchtree Avenue (incl.) and Newark Avenue.

Other areas of the city where a verge and pavement parking restriction has been activated are:

  • Vale Drive, Hampton Vale
  • Eyebury Road, junction with Little Close
  • Airedale Close
  • Dogsthorpe Road between junctions with Airedale Close and Brownlow Road
  • Fletton Avenue (From Glebe Road to Fellowes Road)
  • Garton End Road (From Grimshaw Road to outside number 116)
  • Shortacres Road
  • Southfields Avenue (From Southfields Drive to St George Avenue)
  • The Causeway, Thorney (From The Mill to Gayport)