Factsheet

Landlord Services

Parking – General

Tamworth Borough Council receives numerous complaints about parking issues ranging from parking on grass verges to obstruction of the highway. The information below will explain who is responsible for any offences and how they can be dealt with.

  • Parking is permitted on the public highway for taxed and insured vehicles as long as it does not create an obstruction or a safety hazard.
  • There are no ‘rights’ for any individual to park on the public highway adjacent to their home.
  • It is not an offence in law to park a motor vehicle (other than a HGV) on a footpath or grass verge unless the parking causes an obstruction or danger to pedestrians or a Traffic Regulation Order is in force.
  • Only the police reserve the right to issue a fixed penalty fine to any vehicle causing an obstruction of the highway where there are no obstructions (Section 137 of the Highways Act 1980)
  • Parking in contravention of a Traffic Regulation Order will render the motorist liable for a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) which is the responsibility of the local Council and can be issued for:
  • waiting or parking on double yellow lines,
  • parking in time limited marked and signed or disabled bays,
  • contravention of off street parking orders in TBC car parks, and
  • obstructing a pedestrian crossing point
  • The Council have the right to pursue action for criminal damage caused by persistent parking on grass verges, where it is in the public interest to do so and to discourage parking on these areas.
  • The Police can issue fixed penalty notices to motorists parked on the chevrons to pedestrian crossings and school zig zags where no other order is in place. Some primary schools have zig zag orders which can be enforced by the Civil Parking Contractor – these are Greenacres Primary, Dosthill Primary, Ankermoor Primary and Florendine Primary.
  • Driving on a footpath is an immediate police enforceable offence.
  • Large vehicles over 7.5 tonnes should not be parked on the public highway, footpath or verge at any times.

Tamworth Borough Council employs a Civil Parking Enforcement contractor. However this service is not an emergency response service and cannot be called out by residents. Priority consideration is given to hot spot areas where additional concerns have been raised by the council.

Parking on Footways and Verges where there are no restrictions in place can be annoying and cause problems including:

  • obstructing road users,
  • reducing visibility at junctions, and
  • restricting access for emergency vehicles.

In areas, where problems become persistent and/or dangerous, consideration can be given to restrictions or bollards in consultation with land owners and Staffordshire County Council Highway Services.

Prevention

The Ziggy and Zaggy School Parking initiative is undertaken by the borough and county councils and the police visit schools to give pupils the opportunity to learn about safe parking and encourage parents to consider the effect of inconsiderate parking.

Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service regularly visit schools as part of their safety programme and will also issue warning cards to motorists who have inconsiderately restricted emergency vehicles access.

Reviewed June 2018