A homeowner has reached out to the police for advice after a car was left blocking their driveway – and the response has shed light on the legalities of the situation
Property owners are frequently left furious when confronted with the frustratingly common problem of a vehicle blocking their driveway. A recent incident involved one such homeowner contacting the police for guidance on tackling the situation.
The enquiry was submitted to the Ask the Police website, which forms part of the Police National Legal Database, where the exasperated resident questioned: “Someone has parked their car and it is blocking my driveway. What shall I do?”.
The preliminary recommendation from police is to suggest chatting with neighbours to locate the vehicle’s owner so it can be relocated if it’s obstructing your driveway entrance.
In certain regions, local authorities might be able to help. The site explains: “In most areas local councils have now taken on responsibility for enforcing parking provisions under what is known as Civil Parking Enforcement (CPE). Under CPE, it’s an offence to park a vehicle that blocks a dropped kerb driveway. You can check if your local council has taken on CPE via the link here. GOV.UK – CPE List “
Further advice states: “If your council has taken on CPE, you will usually need to report vehicles that are obstructing a dropped kerb directly to them – you can contact them via the link here GOV.UK – Find your local council.”
Nevertheless, if CPE isn’t operational in your locality, the following course of action would be to contact your local police force.
It’s crucial to understand that officers may only step in if a motor is stopping you from leaving your property. The Metropolitan Police have released a statement addressing the issue of blocked driveways, acknowledging the irritation it can cause residents.
The force stated: “If someone has blocked your driveway so you can’t drive in, we appreciate this can be very frustrating.”
They propose a neighbourly solution to the problem: “If you can find the owner of the vehicle, we’d first recommend asking them politely to move it. If you can’t find them, try leaving a note on their windscreen. After all, they may not realise they have caused a problem.”
If these steps are unsuccessful, the Met suggests reaching out to local authorities: “If this doesn’t work, please contact your local council. If a person has blocked your driveway and is preventing you from getting your own vehicle out, we may be able to help. You can report antisocial behaviour online.”
Furthermore, the RAC has clarified the legalities surrounding parking disputes: “It is perfectly legal to park outside someone’s house, unless the vehicle is blocking a driveway or a wheel is over a dropped kerb. Where no parking controls exist, drivers do not have an ‘automatic spot’ for parking outside their homes.”
They offer further advice for instances of blocked access: “If your vehicle is on your driveway and another car is parked on a public highway and blocking your access out of your driveway, the council has the power to act. But if that other car is on a drive, it’s technically on private property – and the council has no authority to remove it.”