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?

My DS's primary school had a brilliant solution to the parking problem. They had a rapid drop off system. TA or teacher stand outside the school gates and parents would pull up in the car, child jumps out and the TA/Teacher ensures they go from the gate into the school. It was brilliant as it removed the need to park up. It worked really well for the school in question but I realise you need to have the right type of set up School entrance relatively near to the gates etc).

Put up a massive warning and some sort of security camera stating any vehicles parked will be reported for trespassing and the book will be thrown at them!! :) dicks

You can have private roads that are still highway and have rights of way over them. You cant just block without checking with the local authority/definitive map

Find a frail, wizened, stooped person to hobble painstakingly to the gate, waving cheerily, and shouting "be with you in a moment... bear with, bear with" and then fumbling awkwardly through every pocket, finding the wrong key, apologising profusely, hobbling back home to look for the right key....

I'll bring my mom over. She is over 90 and hobbles. She is also a master interrogator and cannot be put off - she will be able to give you the full history of the person (including the name of the country/town/village their ancestors were from) by the time she finishes.

This is a complex issue and I suggest you read this booklet www.privateroads.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Private-Road-Service-booklet.pdf for more information on Private Roads.

The first question is - is it a private road with a public right of way or a private right of way? I am assuming the former. If so, what is the current traffic regulation order in place? These things need to be considered before you take any action which may be seen as illegal.

Hope this helps.

Sidenote: Why can't people just walk to school?

If it bothers you soon THAT much that you want to spend your mornings standing in the road blocking them from coming in and having arguments and loads of stress and drama then go ahead. I’d personally not be bothered and think you might come across as a liiiiitle unhinged but up to you really

Poorolddaddypig

Have you considered that op being blocked in each morning already causes stress each morning and that they are looking for a way to stop the stress, perhaps it’s the constant private road blockers that are unhinged

Perhaps those posters bleating about how barriers and chains may prevent access for emergency services can explain how the cars blocking the road are not a problem.

I think you need very very sticky posters that you put on their windscreens every day. Not damaging but a bigger to remove. You need to make it so that parking there is more hassle than it's worth.
Or sharp keys...

What about clubbing together to pay for a parking enforcement company on a short term basis? A warden to patrol and prevent parking at specific times - even if for a short period - and /or private clamping?

Is it possible to speak with a member if your local. Council.
Maybe they'll have some suggestions.

There are few people more arrogant and unpleasant than parents delivering kids to school, often in oversized cars. This was one of the many reasons we moved from our previous house. Rules apply to others, not us

Ask your council if you can get residents only parking permits, that should stop people from parking there.

Juliehooligan It's a private road. Which means it's not council controlled. Sigh. Always worth reading the OP, let alone the full thread

Yep as u said, private road. So council can't help...
Ah well, sounds like you and other residents have a job on your hands sorting this one out...

"What about clubbing together to pay for a parking enforcement company on a short term basis? A warden to patrol and prevent parking at specific times - even if for a short period - and /or private clamping?"

I think @blackjeans' suggestion is excellent. And I'd sit in my front garden and watch them all fume when they come back and find their cars have been clamped.

Our council have just introduced school zones. If you drive into them during "school times" (aka when most people want to park to walk 5 yards to school) you are fined a minimum of £35 for each occasion. Exceptions for residents and nominated persons of residents (fair amount of older people who need carers etc).

It has been an incredible success and the street is no longer clogged with lazy arse parents parking and driving dangerous because they are too lazy to walk 5 minutes to the school.

As you have a private road @namechangedpurelyforthis it might be possible to get your council to agree to this. No impact on through traffic or emergency services and a source of revenue for their coffers!

I will re phrase , it is illegal to block any road including un adopted roads .

A cite would be worth a million rephrasings.

Try Section 137 of the Highways Act 1980

Hopefully this will inform the debate ...

here's what true private roads (in London) can look like. Notice the barred gates which only residents have the keys for.

If you can manage to find that are on Google, you'd also notice that the street view stops there. Google weren't - and are highly unlikely to ever be - allowed in.

Section 137 of the Highways Act 1980

(1)If a person, without lawful authority or excuse, in any way wilfully obstructs the free passage along a highway he is guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding [F1level 3 on the standard scale].

"highway" does not cover private land.

It might do, if the road is considered to be a highway and I think someone has already put up the definition.
Private is a woolly term when referring to roads. It could mean privately maintained, or maintenance historically could have been by a certain group of people. It could be a Ratione Tenurae road.
This could also mean it isn't listed by the Council in the list of streets, as this is meant to be a record of maintained highways and might exclude some privately maintained ones.
It's a complicated area of law..

Btw. Most highways run over land which is privately owned. The status of the land as highway limits what you can do with it.
Many deeds will show you owning to the middle of the road in front of your house, doesn't mean you can block it off or make it a garden.

Put up a sign saying private road, residents only, other vehicles will be clamped. Buy a few clamps, and clamp those that are there for more than 5 minutes.. Charge a release fee, and use to pay back for the clamps.

I've put up an example of how private roads can be blocked so the OP has an idea of what can be done, if the situation permits. If nothing else they can show it to the other residents and see what they think. So I think I've done my bit to answer the OPs OP with a YANBU.

While cars can wear out road surfaces a 42-tonne artic deciding it needs to turn around will pretty quickly make the road into a pair of wells where it's wheels turn while stationary. So I can understand wanting to limit traffic on that basis alone.