To block the road I live on so people can't park there?

[namechangedpurelyforthis]

As the thread name suggests... I live on a private road. It's near a school. Parents park there all the time, sometimes on double yellows. They block our driveways and limit our access. Where would I legally stand if myself and other residents block the end of the road one day to block the cars in to send them the message that we won't put up with it any more?

I'm not sure where you'd stand legally, but have you tried speaking to the school explaining how you're being inconvenienced by having your driveways blocked on a daily basis. This would piss me off so you have my sympathies!

Assuming you have agreement of all other residents, I suppose you can. But can you maintain it? They'll be back as soon as they can be.

I've seen private roads with metal barriers across, like car parks, or simply gates. Perhaps the residents may like to chip in to secure the road?

Realistically you'd probably be fine, but if an ambulance or fire engine needed access, there would be chaos... and realistically, the parents will be back as soon as the cars are moved, so you'd have to block it every day, which then increases the chances of emergency access being required.

You'd be better off talking to the school.

So to avoid being blocked in, you're going to block yourselves in? Is it a problem being blocked in or not?

We have spoken to the school many times over the past months and they have said they have no jurisdiction over the roads, which I suppose is right. They have sent constant letter reminders to their parents and have approached the ones parking dangerously individually. They have also contacted the local police who have been around a few tines. I think they're doing all they can, but the parents are just so unbelievably selfish and entitled, they're continuing anyway.

There was a thread here a few years ago where the op and all the neighbours got together to do just that, I think they took it in turns. It worked, well certainly in the short term while the thread ran, not sure long term.

I had a similar situation in a previous house. The residents all grumbled about it and we would ring the school every time we were blocked by. I’ve moved since and been past at school time recently to see it’s worse than ever.

Not sure where you stand legally. Could all the residents club together and pay for a gate or barrier?

I've seen plenty of private roads blocked off with gates. Not cheap but it might be worth looking in to.

Don’t be obtuse @FlaskMaster. OP can ask someone to move if she knows who the car belongs to and where they are. Not so easy when it’s a parent who could be at an after school meeting for half an hour.

Speaking to the school will do nothing. Not blaming school, blaming parents! I had the full 7 years of texts, emails, newsletter mentions of bad parking... makes no difference to the selfish people that do it.
I would block your road - ambulances, as PP said. You could talk to the neighbours about a co-ordinated week of blocking your own drives though?

If its a private road, who put the double yellows there? I think you'd be really petty to block the road UNLESS it's YOUR own road that you own, because then you can do with it what you like, obviously.

What do you mean by private road? Privately owned? Put up a gate.

I mean a road which is not maintained by the council and has private road signs at the entry.

How about some kind of gate that prevents easy entry but isn't locked so emergency services can open it easily. With a sign on saying 'private property - no school parking'. Sure, parents may be able to let themselves in but they'd have to be very brave to be so blatant, surely?

I too am baffled as to how a private road has double yellows?

You know the public can buy road signs? Get a road closed/access only one, and put it out at the top of street at drop off and pick up?

The double yellows are just at the junction where it leads on the the main public highway.

But yes if it is privately owned, get together with the residents and have a gate fitted. You can't completely block access with cars or anything else.

Who owns the private road, is it on residents Deeds that they own and maintain it. Parking over someones driveway is really selfish but that's how some people are. Are there any dropped kerbs and who painted the yellow lines. Are there parking restriction signs up.

I hate this too. Just because you have a child at school doesn't mean you can park where you like.
Parents are the ones responsible for the road chaos in the morning, everytime, without fail.
If you say anything, well they have to get to work.
Entitled pricks, should walk their kids to school, they might not be so fat and entitled then

Oh, some nice sharp keys should do it, it works round here.

I would look into a automatic bollard for the entrance. If you all share the cost it would be cheap. Or just a white wooden gate with a latch. Hardly anyone is cheeky enough to open a gate and drive in that says private on it.

My son is disabled and i am the only person at my dd school with a blue badge. There is a accessible bay but the same parent parks in it daily because they lug their car seat about. So when I have ds in the car, I can’t park near the school. I can park on double yellows outside school because I have blue badge on a rare occasions I have no choice as ds is with me. When I do lots of other parents copy me but with no rights too.

Some parents are extremely blinkered on the school run.

If it’s private road - it’s highly unlikely the local highway authorities will give a shit what you do...

I know of 2 Private estates that have put in bollards, which have a key code on them and collapse into the ground, expensive but if you have a few houses it may be cheaper than you think. Another idea is an electric gate with anpr on it, that’s mega expensive...

I’m surprised the police were be interested as it private!!