Under the highway law, it is illegal to park a vehicle so that it obstructs other people wanting to use a road or path. It is also illegal to obstruct a private entrance.
Police have enforcement powers and can issue fixed penalty tickets, but officers are usually busy attending to other more serious crimes.
Users of a private entrance can take a civil action for nuisance against people causing a persistent obstruction, but this process can be lengthy, expensive and unpleasant.
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Where persistent obstruction occurs, Northamptonshire County Council can offer an access line across an entrance. The marking has no legal significance, but has proved helpful in discouraging inconsiderate parking.
The access line is white and normally 75mm wide and extends across the dropped kerbs, plus up to 1 metre each side. In conservation areas, a 50mm wide line will be used as an alternative.
Where the gap between two entrances is too short for a car to park, then both entrances will need to be protected by a continuous white line.
Should your access be joint or double with a neighbour the white line will cover the whole length of dropped kerbs and the application should be made on behalf of both parties.
Lines will not be installed if the parking problem is a result of vehicles belonging to or visiting adjacent property and causing a neighbourhood dispute.
These white lines can be useful in locations where non-residents parking on-street are creating persistent problems. They are less effective in tackling difficulties in areas where there is a general shortage of parking places for residents.
The white line cannot be sited on the opposite side of the road to the driveway to ease turning movements.
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If you think that a white line outside your property would be helpful please either complete the online form, or download the application form, complete and return to us, so that we can assess your request.
When we receive your application, an inspector will inspect the site to make sure the request is practical and justified.
Please note: that if your property does not have a properly constructed vehicular access, then your application will be refused. We will also refuse your application if it would be inconsistent to treat your entrance and not neighbouring properties.
Your local Parish Council or residents association may be prepared to submit your applications so that they can be considered together.
You will not receive an acknowledgement of receipt of the form, but we will write to you within six to eight weeks to advise you of the outcome of your application. If unsuccessful, we will write to you and tell you the reason why.
If your request is agreed you will need to pay £125 including VAT for the line and we will include payment details within this letter. Work will not be ordered until payment has been received and then programmed to be carried out when suitable personnel are in the area.
If you are making your application during the winter months, ie October to April, please bear in mind there may be a long delay in carrying out this work due to weather conditions.
Should the line require renewing please inform us and this will be attended to as and when budgets and suitable personnel are available during routine highway maintenance operations.
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