Nuisance parking and new parking restrictions

Parking on double yellow lines and where other parking restrictions exist

You can report vehicles parked where drivers ignore parking restrictions or where they obstruct dropped kerbs. See report illegal parking. 

To check parking restriction rules, see parking contraventions.

Blue Badge holders and parking restrictions

Blue Badge holders may park where there are parking restrictions for up to a maximum of 3 hours, including on double yellow lines if they display the blue badge clock. We can only issue a penalty notice if a vehicle is obstructing a dropped kerb, if the badge is not displayed correctly, or if the information on the badge is wrong. 

Find out where you can park with a Blue Badge on our Blue Badge page.

Causing an obstruction where there are no restrictions

Where a parked car is causing an obstruction and there are no restrictions in place you should report it to the police. This includes where parking is putting children or other road users at risk, parking within 10 metres of a junction, and parking that is blocking a driveway.

To report obstructive parking to the police, dial 101.

Abandoned vehicles

If you think a vehicle has been abandoned, you can report an abandoned vehicle.

Where there are no waiting restriction parking regulations in place on the road or verge, enforcement can only be carried out by the Police; they are only likely to take action if the parking is causing an obstruction, for example where pedestrians, pram or wheelchair users are being forced into a busy road as a result of vehicles blocking the verge or pavement. To report obstructive parking to the police, dial 101.

Parking on a pavement or verge next to a road where a waiting restriction applies could result in a driver being issued a penalty charge notice, just as if they were parked on the carriageway.

See report illegal parking. 

New parking restrictions - road markings and signs

By law, we can only introduce new parking restrictions if there is no other solution to the problem and where one or more of the following apply:

• there is evidence it will improve road safety
• the police have raised concerns about safety

The law also says that most types of restrictions need a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO).

Where evidence shows that a new restriction might be appropriate, options for new road markings and signs include:

• double yellow lines  -  where people are parking putting other road users in danger
• double yellow lines near junctions  -  where people are parking within 10m of a junction and putting other road users in danger
• yellow lines with time limit signs - where parking causes a problem only at certain times of day
• limited time bays - to keep short stretches of road clear for people using shops and facilities
• taxi bays - if there is a clear need, and where there is space
• bus stops - if parked cars are regularly stopping buses pulling in safely and where there is space
• loading bays - where parked cars regularly cause problems for businesses needing to load and unload.

To tell us about a location where you think there is a road safety problem that new parking restrictions might help with, use our online report it form. Choose road (carriageway) then parking. 

To find out how we make decisions about new road safety projects, see road safety improvement projects. 

Residents' parking schemes

A residents' parking scheme can seem like a good idea if you regularly find it hard to park outside your house. But it's important to think about why there's a problem. A residents' parking scheme won't help if the problem is simply that people living on the street have more cars than there is room for.

For more information, see residents' parking schemes.