Parking tip

I was returning to my car which I had parked in a side street in the Cathays area of Cardiff‘. It was one of a few streets where there were no restrictions on parking. So I was surprised to see a Parking Enforcement Officer stride up to the car in front of mine and issue a ticket. Then the PEO crossed the road and issued a ticket to another car.

I was intrigued as there were no obvious reasons why these two cars should be ticketed when all the other cars in the street had not been punished. So I asked politely what was so wrong that both cars had a ticket.

He pointed to the ground and uttered two words – 'Dropped kerb'. Then he walked off.

I passed my driving test nearly 40 years ago, so I must admit I had forgotten that rule.

With help of google, I found several articles which indicate this is a recent change.

The Traffic Management Act 2004 (section86) was introduced to protect dropped kerbs from parked cars. It also covers places where the carriageway has been raised to meet the level of the footway for the same purpose. (The pavement at dropped kerbs and raised carriageways are usually distinguished by different coloured paving slabs and usually with a textured surface for the assistance of partially sighted or blind persons.)

Furthermore, during 2008, the Department for Transport deemed it unnecessary for the use of road markings or road sins to illustrate a prohibition for parking across a dropped kerb. (It is for this reason that yellow lines, it there any, stop and start either side of a dropped kerb.)

This offence applies to all motorists, including

Blue Badge holders

Motorcyclists

Permit holders

So, next time you park, look at the kerb.

R.Clark Heol Collen