Parking and traffic enforcement

In this section:

Enforcement of dropped kerbs

The council provides a service for residents and businesses that find their access blocked by a motorist.

Dropped kerb example
Inconsiderate parking alongside a dropped kerb can prevent residents and businesses from getting their vehicles back on the road or into their driveway.

Vehicles must not park on the road adjacent to the footway, cycle track or verge that has been lowered for the purpose of:

  • assisting pedestrians crossing the road (pedestrian access dropped kerb)
  • assisting vehicles entering or leaving the off street parking areas
  • assisting cyclists entering or leaving the road (cycle track access dropped kerb)

Motorists who park their vehicle alongside a dropped kerb could come back to find a parking fine on their windscreen.


Enforceable dropped kerb diagram
When is a vehicle obstructing your dropped kerb?

The vehicle does not have to be fully obstructing the dropped kerb to commit a parking contravention. If any part of the vehicle is physically over the point where the footway meets the road, a contravention has occurred.

The area which can be enforced is shown between the blue arrows in the picture below.


Registering your dropped kerb

If you have a dedicated dropped kerb you'll need to register it with us for enforcement purposes. This service is free and your personal information will be kept safe and is only used to verify your eligibility for this service.

Register your dropped kerb

For parking enforcement purposes there are two types of dropped kerb:

  • dropped kerb serving a single occupancy driveway - this should be registered
  • dropped kerb serving multiple occupancy driveway or more than one driveway - this does not need to be registered

Single occupancy driveway

  • A single occupancy driveway is used solely by one property and is served by a dedicated dropped kerb.
  • Enforcement action can only be instigated at the request of the occupier of the premises.
  • Residents need to register their dropped kerb in order to report an inconsiderate motorist.

If you don't have a dropped kerb, but would like one, complete our online form. 

Apply for a dropped kerb

Multiple occupancy driveway

Shared dropped kerb example a
A
 
Shared dropped kerb example b
B

 

 

 

 

 

  • A multiple occupancy driveway is used by more than one property (like image A) or served by a dropped kerb that's used or shared by more than one property (like image B).
  • As more than one person may use this type of dropped kerb you cannot park across it even with the permission of the occupier.
  • This type of dropped kerb does not have to be registered for enforcement purposes. We carry out regular borough-wide enforcement against vehicles causing obstruction to this type of dropped kerb.

What enforcement action we take?

Any vehicle found to be parked in contravention will be issued with a parking ticket.

Once your dropped kerb is registered, you can phone the council's parking enforcement hotline on 01895 271 418, between 6am to 10pm (Monday to Saturday) and 8am to 10pm (Sundays and Bank Holidays).

They'll arrange for a civil enforcement officer to visit the location and carry out appropriate enforcement.

Please note: We cannot issue a parking ticket to a vehicle parked in a parking bay. Vehicles parked wholly within a designated parking place, or any other part of the road where parking is specifically authorised, are exempt from dropped kerb enforcement.

Page last updated: 20 Jun 2023