A grandfather has been left "furious" after receiving a fine for parking in front of a drop kerb - 'to nowhere'. Alan Hatch, 81, says he has been parking his Vauxhall Corsa on Recreation Road in Wargrave, Berkshire, for years.
He has previously parked in front of the drop kerb, which is in front of a fenced off driveway, without issue, he says. So he was cross to be slapped with a £70 fine in May - especially as he believes the kerb is no longer an access point.
Council defends fine
Wokingham Borough Council (WBC) said the fine was applied correctly - but added that the kerb is due to be raised. Alan, a retired firefighter and grandfather-of-four, said: "I was absolutely furious, I would have kicked anything in sight.
"I couldn't believe that it had happened. When I spoke to a couple of residents, they couldn't believe it'd happened. Several people in the village have seen me and say 'you're famous'. I thought 'goodness, it's for the wrong reason'."
WBC said: "The PCN was issued correctly, as this was a vehicle access point at the time. The resident whose land the vehicle access point leads to has since advised that the access is no longer required, and the council will arrange for the kerb to be reinstated in due course."
Highway Code rules
Alan, who has been driving since he was 19 and has never had any points on his licence, has since spent £35 to make the problem go away. He said: "The money is inconvenient, but it's not the main thing."
Rule 243 of the Highway Code states: "DO NOT stop or park where the kerb has been lowered to help wheelchair users and powered mobility vehicles." The only exception to the rule is that you are only allowed to stop in these places when stationary traffic forces you to do so. It adds: "In Scotland you MUST NOT double park or park anywhere the kerb has been lowered to help pedestrians or cyclists. Exceptions are allowed in limited circumstances."
Totally Driving says: "A dropped kerb is a section of pavement that's lowered to make it easier for people with disabilities to get from the pavement to the road or for vehicles to drive across. They can be in the middle of the block or on a corner but the rules about parking on a dropped kerb are the same no matter where they're located."
For dropped kerb parking, this so-called "dropped kerb law" is enforced by either local police or the local council. Complaints are made either through the non-emergency phone number for police or through the council directly. In most cases, people will approach the council with complaints first.
"Whether they issue a PCN for parking a dropped kerb often depends on how significant the blockage is. If the vehicle is fully blocking the dropped kerb so it impedes people who are mobility-challenged, they're much more likely to issue a PCN than if the vehicle is not completely blocking access."
