Views on whether you can park in front of a dropped kerb that no longer serves a driveway?

[KerbKonfusion]

In a scenario where there once was a driveway with a dropped kerb, but there now stands an extension instead, is the dropped kerb fair game for parking for others? Or should people not park there because it's still a dropped kerb?

I don’t know what the rules are but I probably wouldn’t do it because people in pushchairs / wheelchairs might need to use it.

I wouldn't, dropped kerbs are still useful for wheelchairs, prams, or anyone with any kind of accessibility needs that make a raised kerb difficult. They may need to cross the road, get to the boot of a parked car, or reach the other side of a parked vehicle.

I’m not sure on the legalities of it, but there are some dropped kerbs to allow wheelchair users to cross the road, so be careful you are not blocking one that is used in this way.

Thanks for the responses so far. So should the new owners also not park there, even though it's outside their house? To clarify, the new owners built the extension not too long ago, and the dropped kerb was there purely for the driveway.

We were issued with a permit that allowed us to park over our driveway... parking was tight so it was included in the parking plan (we weren't entitled to a permit for the rest of the road)

Id say fair game for anyone.

No it's their dropped kerb that serves their property. It doesn't matter if they have built an extension. They can still call and get you a ticket.

@TheMixedGirl the house doesn’t suddenly own that part of a public road because it has a dropped kerb, when they have no drive.

That’s ludicrous. Everyone would get it done.

I can’t only park on the street outside my house. If I get the kerb dropped is it legally my space? No.

I would say that it’s irrelevant whether the owners or other people park on the dropped kerb, there will still be people with small children and disabilities who might want to use a dropped kerb.

"I can’t only park on the street outside my house. If I get the kerb dropped is it legally my space? No."

Well if you could get it dropped then it would be reserved by use by the property and if you blocked someone from the highway by parking there the police can get involved.

Otherwise, council can issue parking tickets to people obstructing it but usually only on request from the homeowner/ resident and some councils will only enforce a full obstruction ( as opposed to the front or back overhanging the drive)

It is not as simple as getting it dropped because you need permission and have to pay to do so and there are usually conditions on the minimum length of drive.

Don't park on drop kerbs, I use a mobility scooter and the amount of folk who park on drop kerbs for "just 2 mins" is ridiculous , why impede someone's right of way, same with parking on the pavement.

I got a ticket for something similar (it was in front of a boarded-up building on an industrial estate, definitely not for pedestrians to cross). So on that basis, I wouldn’t risk it.

That particular dropped kerb was to access a property. It was not the type that is installed at the end of roads or particular points along long roads, with the specific purpose of helping those with buggies/wheelchairs etc cross roads.

I think there are accepted local norms for parking across your own drive, depending on traffic in the area and parking issues. In some areas such as those with terraces and limited parking, it is often acceptable to park across your own driveway. People use their 2nd car to block their first in. Neighbours expect this as otherwise that household takes up another pavement space by nit parking across their own driveway but elsewhere. In most areas, no-one will ticket people parked across driveways as a matter of course…just those reported as blocking the driveway of other people.

When there is no longer anything to access via the dripped kerv, as in the situation Op describes, Id park there if nowhere else. If view it as another roadside space like any other. I don’t think the roadside space ever belong to anyone. Leaving it clear related to allowing someone access to their property. But if it is no longer a property access, it no longer needs to be left clear.

We have several like this along the road where I live. Parking is fairly tight as some houses have drives but lots don’t. Anyone now parks across those no-longer used for access dripped kerbs. It might be the person who lives there or someone else. With one of them, the owner parks there most of the time and others choose to leave it free for them. Occasionally someone else parks there…no problem. The others are just used by locals who live there. The properties the access relates to also have another access and off-road parking and park there.

Honestly, who could complain about someone parking across a dropped kerb (not wheelchair access type) which does not give entry to anything? It is just part of the public road.

And by the way, I’m not talking about parking ON the dropped kerb….just on the road alongside it. No cars should be parked on the pavement.