Do parking laws apply to a private road?

[Partyvan]

Hi all

I live on a new build estate. The road is privately owned by the residents assosciation.

It's a cul-de-sac and I live in the very last house.

Other residents are parking on the pavements, and around junctions, making it impossible for me to reach my drive with a trailer (to load my track car).

Do I have any grounds to complain? Or does the regular law not apply here?

Thanks in advance

[Shakermaker]

The first thing to do is surely to talk to your neighbours and explain the predicament. Be reasonable, and ask for their consideration in their parking in as much as you of course consider your parking in relation to their properties.

If its a new build estate, then the chances are that you are all new to the area, there's no "common accepted practice" which exists in every cul-de-sac I've lived in where everyone kind of knows where they stand and generally stick to it, in the absence of any formal rules etc.

[loskie]

If the road is unadopted then no but as a public place the road traffic act applies. Best look at the deeds of use on the estate. For example where my mum lives it states no work vehicles although this is not enforced by the property management company

[Partyvan]

Thanks guys.

I've tried speaking to the worst offenders about other issues, and got nowhere. They think it's acceptable to

a) Run a catering business from their tiny garage which has no drive
b) Park their works catering van over the pavement at 90 degrees, into the road!
c) Have 7.5t lorries pitching up to deliver foodstuffs, blocking the road for half an hour at a time
d) Not bag their waste, or secure their bin lid, meaning all their rubbish is regularly blown all over the street / road and my garden. Think raw chicken! *bork*

So no, I don't have any faith in their ability to reason. The bloke is a prize ****.

[A500leroy]

in that case bring your trailer in at night and tt his car with it.

[21TonyK]

One call to environmental health will sort the "caterers" out, just give their address and describe the activities. They'll get a knock in a week or so.

[Old Merc]

Partyvan said:

Thanks guys.

I've tried speaking to the worst offenders about other issues, and got nowhere. They think it's acceptable to

a) Run a catering business from their tiny garage which has no drive
b) Park their works catering van over the pavement at 90 degrees, into the road!
c) Have 7.5t lorries pitching up to deliver foodstuffs, blocking the road for half an hour at a time
d) Not bag their waste, or secure their bin lid, meaning all their rubbish is regularly blown all over the street / road and my garden. Think raw chicken! *bork*

So no, I don't have any faith in their ability to reason. The bloke is a prize ****.

Report them to the council then.?

[Labradorofperception]

Likewise check wit the local planning authority, they may require PP to run a business from home.

and check the title - I would be surprised if there was not a covenant against running a business and or commercial vehicles.

Failing that, rats love bird seed........

[jamei303]

The easiest things to do would be to either stop using your trailer, or move somewhere with nicer neighbours or that has bigger roads or enforced parking restrictions.

More difficult solutions in approximate order of difficulty would include:

• get the council to adopt the road and implement parking restrictions
• get the council to take planning enforcement action for unauthorised change of use of premises from dwelling house to business use
• get the developer to enforce any covenants against business use
• get the police to prosecute or even tow away obstructive parkers or, when pigs fly, prosecute those driving on the pavement
• get the residents association to implement parking controls

[Kuji]

1. Back your trailer as far into the road as you can and just park there, while you..
2. Drive the track car on/off the trailer and off/onto your drive when you need to load/unload loudly.
3. When people complain that they cannot get by, blame the people blocking the road.
4. Bonus points if you can park the car and trailer kerbside outside his gaff on one of his regular delivery days.

or.
Z. Screw the lot of them and trade the trailer in for a flatbed recovery vehicle that you can park legally in the road next to your house between track days.

Edited by Kuji on Thursday 14th March 15:28

[loskie]

Environmental health, planning department and HMRC

[Pica-Pica]

loskie said:

Environmental health, planning department and HMRC

..and a search at Companies House.

[XCP]

And frozen sausages. Obviously.

[4rephill]

Outside of London, do the parking laws apply anywhere any more?

People seem to just park where they feel like these days: on double yellows, blocking pavements, blocking roads, on junctions, across driveways, on pedestrian crossing zig-zag markings, etc., etc.

The attitude seems to be: "I'm parked up.......fk everyone else!"

Based on that, why should a private road with public access be any different to every other road? - Nobody gives st about anyone else any more!

[loskie]

XCP said:

And frozen sausages. Obviously.

The caterer will have plenty

[Matt_E_Mulsion]

If it's a new build estate, is there not something written into the deeds about not being able to run a business from home or park vans in the estate etc???

[jamei303]

Matt_E_Mulsion said:

If it's a new build estate, is there not something written into the deeds about not being able to run a business from home or park vans in the estate etc???

Often, but it's primarily there to incentivise people to buy the new houses. Once they're all sold, the developer is unlikely to give any ducks.

[Derek Smith]

Local Authority with regards a business from residential premises seems a good bet. It'd be my first port of call.

Can a fire engine access your property? I'm not suggesting you torch your premises but the fire service can give advice on such matters and if it is not followed, will report to the LA.

Be prepared for a bit of aggravation.

[shovelheadrob]

One of my employees lives in a similar new estate, the parking is atrocious, I pick him up at around 5.00 am on a Monday morning, I found out that a good blast on a set of 154db train horns was effective. It woke quite a few people, who weren't impressed at being rudely awoken, I pointed out the vehicles causing the problem & suggested that they direct their anger at their owners & asked how a fire engine was supposed to get through if neccessary. I also added that I would be much earlier on other days.
Parking has improved somewhat.