• This topic has 28 replies, 19 voices, and was last updated 10 years ago by IanW.
Viewing 29 posts - 1 through 29 (of 29 total)
  • What to do, pavement\cycle route parking?
  • 29erKeith
    Free Member

    There’s a section of cycle route on my commute\nursery run where there’s persistent parking on the pavement\shared use cycle route.

    Now it was annoying when it was just me commuting, but now I’ve got the Croozer 3 days a week it’s often to a point where I actually can’t get through with the trailer without out dropping on to the road which is a fast dual carriage way which is not safe at all.

    Anyway any advice on who to contact to try and get something done about it?

    I tried a police man who took my details a while back but nothing appears to have happened, not that I’ve seen or been informed about anyway

    Here it is
    only 4 cars there at the time in google maps but normally more in the mornings. Now a lot of the houses have converted their front gardens to parking but then park a 3rd or 4th car on the pavement or other haven’t and do it too. now there’s no other parking with out a walk of a minute or so but that’s not my problem and my sons safety is more important.
    plain and simple non of them should be parked there

    parkesie
    Free Member

    Complain till your blue in the face try a alternate route?

    DezB
    Free Member

    That’s just like a section on my route – is that pavement – the one with the school kids walking on, supposed to be a shared cycle path/pedestrian path? Can’t see any signs. If it is it’s totally unfit for that purpose.
    What it needs is a proper cycle path, so the council should be contacted.

    project
    Free Member

    Accidently hit the wing mirrors as you pass and when they complain say youre partially sighted and like them not being able to see the cycle lane you couldnt see the vehicles mirrors, also try parking servicers at the local council and the local paper.

    Just had a similar thing with parking on a cycle route, emailed a compalint to parking services at a local council and got an excellent responce from them,next day, and work is in hand to put down lines and warnings as well as enforcement.

    ebygomm
    Free Member

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-22886557

    Whilst not condoning this, the fact that the reports didn’t mention that all the cars were illegally parked half on the pavement suggests that the police don’t see pavement parking as a problem.

    40mpg
    Full Member

    I’m not sure whether that bit is actually a designated cycle path or not – its all a bit vague around there. The crossing round the corner is shared ped/cycle, as is the one up the hill which we got installed after protesting when they took the lollypop lady away as it was too dangerous on a 50mph dual carriage way 🙄

    I think its just accepted by the powers that be, as all the kids from the local comprehensive (mine included at times) use it to ride to school. That should warrant some concern too – perhaps get in touch with the school and express your concern over their kids safety as well.

    I’d get in touch with Hampshire highways too, and depending on their response (if any) our local bike-friendly newspaper 😉

    There’s a national cycle network path on the other side, but that has a horrendous blind crossing and means negotiating the underpass and 3 road crossings.

    I appreciate your concern though as I’ve struggled to get past just on my bike, the gap between parked cars and the dual carriageway has been so tight. There’s a lot of big, fast traffic on that stretch.

    BigJohn
    Full Member

    Next time you see a parking warden tell him there’s a fortune in commission for him in that road. Police and PCSOs aren’t interested in ticketing parking offences anymore.

    maccruiskeen
    Full Member

    Whilst not condoning this, the fact that the reports didn’t mention that all the cars were illegally parked half on the pavement suggests that the police don’t see pavement parking as a problem.

    Was interested to see on my last trip to that London that they started to paint parking bays in residential areas half on the road half on the pavement.

    muddy_bum
    Free Member

    From the Highway Code:
    “You MUST NOT park partially or wholly on the pavement in London, and should not do so elsewhere unless signs permit it.”

    London is s specific case where parking on the pavement is not allowed unless stated. Everywhere else parking on the pavement is allowed unless the Local council have taken control of parking enforcement AND have created a bylaw banning pavement parking.
    Obstructing the pavement is an offence.

    soma_rich
    Free Member

    Aghhh I hate that bit too! I have been hit by a car coming out of a house along there. It is shared cycle/footpath. I proved that to the insurance people. The cycle lane does not have an end sign or end painted on the road so continues up the road until it ends just before Ashurst I think.

    That car that has been for sale on the corner up by the hall is doing my head in too! They either need to reduce it or scrap it not just block a path with it!

    29erKeith
    Free Member

    All alternative route options involve more busy roads and/or narrow pavements (100% not cycle route) with dodgy blind crossings, side roads every 100m, on road parking everywhere, barrier’d underpasses which I can’t get through with the buggy not without unhitching it and lifting it 2/3ft over 2 sets of barriers. All being pointlessly round the houses and far more dangerous imo 😥

    I (and others) have accidentally knocked a few mirrors 😳 not that that’s had any effect though

    Allan you’re right, it is questionable if that bit is on the cycle route. If it isn’t (signs are confusing at best) it’s the bit that should be imo. Not that stupid on the road, round the houses, underpass with barriers and round the back of Foxhills route that the Sustrans route takes.

    No chance am I cycling past Foxhills school in the morning with the yummy mummy parking going on round there. Didn’t you say a teacher got knocked down and had a broken hip last year or something there. I ride the forest side pavement through Ashurst with is in a shocking state and a pavement but it’s by far the best and safest option.

    yeah it is carp but it’s by far the best option I have, it’s the widest pavement and the most arterial route for bikes and to from the school\adjacent town, so god knows why the Sustrans route goes where it does.

    I feel like I’m being forced to take my son to nursery by car which is just so wrong people should be encouraged to do anything but.

    I’ll have a go with local parking enforcement/Hampshire highways and a the school and local councillors. I can see it being a big PITA and getting no where 🙁 ah well I’ll give it a go.

    29erKeith
    Free Member

    @Rich yeah I’ve had a couple of close calls with people pulling in\out along there too.

    yeah that was my thinking on it being a cycle route too, I carry on there past the end sign through Ashurst to Bartley, the forest roads are unavoidable but tbh are fine as there so little traffic through the village and horses, donkeys and cows on the roads too.

    And yeah that car was a PITA too, It’s gone now though, that DHL/other van pishes me off too as does that house nr the pub which has a different car up for sale every few weeks. they’re annoying but I can get through so not as anoying

    zilog6128
    Full Member

    Whenever I encounter a car parked over a cycle lane I always imagine myself dismounting, carrying the bike cyclocross-style over my shoulder and running up and over the car before leaping back on the bike and riding off. Not actually done this yet though. 😕

    29erKeith
    Free Member

    @zilog6128
    I wan’t Danny Macaskill style skills to be able to ride straight over the top of ’em and be off, probably not with my son in the trailer though 🙂

    Now if Jedi can teach me that in a day I’m there 😆

    40mpg
    Full Member

    Peter Sagan will show you how…

    [video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3nu5PkoyLc[/video]

    This would be handy at the ramp by the pub, there’s often a car which parks nose-on to the end of the ramp, completely blocking it. He’s lucky to still have mirrors.

    Re the original issue, I’d collect some photo evidence (and make it very obvious that you’re doing so) to accompany any complaint correspondence.

    ononeorange
    Full Member

    Very little annoys me more than the utter contempt which drivers display to more vulnerable road users by parking on “their” areas, eg pavements. It is an utter waste of time to complain – I tried to our local council – nothing; to a traffic warden – not her problem apparently; the police actually do it themselves when they’re rushing to get their next fast food order from the burger place, so as above it is condoned it shows the cultural contempt non car drivers are held in this country.

    And breathe.

    29erKeith
    Free Member

    Tried calling New Forest district council parking who very quickly fobbed me off to Hampshire highways who very quickly fob me of telling me there’s nothing they can do, and to go speak to the police, who’ve I’ve tried with before and had nothing happen. I might try them once again but I’ll try the local councillor as he seems pretty keen on theses sorts of issues and seems to like cyclists 😯

    project
    Free Member

    Make a freedom of information request as to what the councils stance is on pavement parking, also the cost of repairing the footways, and also the cost of paying people out for trips and falls.

    Then contact the local paper,and put the figures down, and say due to cutbacks you hope pavemnet parkers are charged the full amount for repairs and any damage to pedestrians, and cyclists.

    29erKeith
    Free Member

    local papers what this one?

    yeah local paper hates cyclists

    It really shouldn’t be this much hard work should it? 😥

    soma_rich
    Free Member

    29erKeith, what are you going to say to Julian Lewis? I will be writing to might be worth while targeting the same issues.
    http://findyourmp.parliament.uk/constituencies/new-forest-east

    29erKeith
    Free Member

    I was going to contact David Harrison as the local guys who seems ok and seems to like cyclist.

    Julian Lewis on the other hand doesn’t exactly seem keen on cyclist he was wading on the wiggle sportive thing last time, that was until the tacks in the road, when he just seemed to disappear and distance himself from it.

    Yeah could certainly coordinate a bit and see if it helps though

    natrix
    Free Member

    I’ve just bought some exhaust whistles for the folk who park on the double yellow lines blocking my driveway.

    http://www.onlinejokeshop.co.uk/practical-jokes/dirty-pranks/exhaust-whistle.html?gclid=CJmrlKCUqrgCFRMPtAod1SUA7w

    KonaTC
    Full Member

    If its by the blue car then there are no ‘dropped kerbs’ (as seen further up/down road) so they are parking on the pavement which is illegal and access to the parking bays is also illegal as they have to cross a pavement. This was used against me many moons ago.

    Get on to the council, involve you local councilor, ask CTC for advice. As said above be a pain in the ar$£, if you get no real action your MP is always worth rattling.

    irc
    Full Member

    so they are parking on the pavement which is illegal

    Under what law? I thought outside London parking of cars on footways was not always illegal.

    As per The Department for Transport have stated that:

    There is currently no national legislation banning
    the parking of all vehicles on
    the pavement, due to the wide range of circumstance
    s and locations where
    pavement parking occurs.

    http://www.livingstreets.org.uk/sites/default/files/PB0110Parking.pdf

    Has the law changed?

    thomthumb
    Free Member

    Councillors are good for this sort of thing. Don’t know if you speak to yours or the one who covers the road. Either will do i’m sure.

    That bit is terribly signed – i’m never sure whether it’s part of the route or not…

    KonaTC
    Full Member

    If I had a hair long enough I split it….

    The point made to me was that to park on a pavement you must first drive on it which by the power of the tin-ter-web is illegal under the 1835 Highways Act which states it is an offense to drive on a pavement.

    I’m off to ride my bike

    surfer
    Free Member

    I dont mind people parking a couple of wheels on the pavement if the road is narrow and there is enough room for pedestrians to pass, all helps with the flow etc but IME there is a real increase in the number of people that park on the pavement when it is not necessary or see the whole pavement as their private parking space.
    I have seen a lot of pavements that are roughly a car wide meaning they are totally blocked to pedestrians.

    When I am out running I can be a bit clumsy fortunately wing mirrors flick back into position but hopefully people may get the message.

    CountZero
    Full Member

    Get some of those nice aluminium ‘bar end-caps, which usually have knurled edges, and get suitably rough through contact with walls, stony ground, etc. Don’t ‘alf scar shiny paintwork when you try to force your way past a car inappropriately parked on a cycle path.
    Gloves with hard knuckle protection are also good for smashing door mirrors back, too. 😈

    IanW
    Free Member

    Move to somewhere not dominated by a road and car cocks?

Viewing 29 posts - 1 through 29 (of 29 total)

The topic ‘What to do, pavement\cycle route parking?’ is closed to new replies.