Motorists and residents are being warned to make sure that a vehicle is parked wholly on a drive without leaving part of the vehicle overhanging the pavement.
The warning follows a prosecution of a resident where a van was discovered to be parked on a drive but with the front tyres remaining on the pavement, causing an obstruction. John Okusi of Letchworth Close, Bromley was found guilty of obstructing the footway and was ordered to pay fines and costs totalling £469.
A council spokesperson said, “Vehicles parked on private driveway should not overhang the road or pavement and when this happens, from a legal perspective, the vehicle is causing an obstruction. Obstructing a road or pavement is actually a criminal offence and, whilst it is a last resort, we will seek to prosecute offenders where necessary. In this example, the defendant was given time to rectify the situation, but when the vehicle remained in situ, the prosecution followed.”
The court was advised that a letter was sent to the defendant in May 2023, advising them of the offence under the Highways Act 1980 and to make alternative parking arrangements. A Fixed Penalty Notice was issued in June 2023, but was not paid. In September 2023, the defendant was sent a legal notice requesting full contact details of the owner of the vehicle. The defendant then explained in correspondence that they did not have access to the vehicle as the owner was not currently living in the country but undertook to get keys cut. Photographs from a further visit in March 2024 showed that the vehicle had been accessed and items which were not previously there were stored in the vehicle. However it had not been moved.
The prosecution is part of the council’s enforcement work to keep roads and pavements clear of obstructions. Visit www.bromley.gov.uk/Prosecutions to see a list of the most recent prosecutions undertaken by the council.
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Notes to editors:
The defendant pleaded guilty at Bromley Magistrates Court on 1 October to obstructing the footway, contrary to the Highways Act 1980. They were ordered to pay a fine of £40, costs of £423 and a surcharge of £16 – total £469.
For media enquiries, please contact David Aderogba, Public Affairs Officer, on 020 8466 3060 or email david.aderogba@bromley.gov.uk.