While most rules around parking your car are common sense, there are some that are perhaps a lot less well-known among motorists.
For example, while all drivers will most certainly be aware that blocking the road or parking on the pavement in many places is not allowed, few are likely to know the exact distance a vehicle should be from the kerb.
If you’re parking your car and want to make sure you are in the right on this issue or are simply curious about what the law has to say on the matter, here is everything you need to know.
According to Kwik Fit, the law in the UK “requires” cars to be parked within 50cm from the kerb.
Explaining the rule, the tyre specialists explained that this is “enforced to prevent your car protruding too far into a road and creating a hazard for other road users, it is a legal requirement to park your vehicle no more than 50cm away from the pavement.
“If you leave your car parked more than 50cm away from the kerb, you could find yourself slapped with an on-the-spot parking fine.”
They added: “It’s also important to remember that parking next to a dropped kerb could land you with a hefty fine.
“These gaps in the pavement are designed to allow vehicles to cross the pathway between the road and a driveway.
“They serve not only commercial and residential properties, but also provide accessways for the emergency services. Naturally, therefore, it is an offence to block them.”
Chris Astley, motoring expert at Vehicle Mats UK, warned those who have received a text message demanding they pay a parking fine that they are the target of a scam.
He added: “Don’t reply, hand over any details, or click on any links in the message, even if it ‘looks’ real.
“You can report it by forwarding the text to 7726, which goes straight to the National Cyber Security Centre.
“A real parking fine will always be a paper notice attached to your car if you’re caught parking illegally or outside of the parking provider’s terms.
“It will also have clear instructions on how to pay or appeal. You can also receive genuine parking fines through the post – this is typically more common if you’ve exploited parking terms at service stations or supermarkets that use ANPR for detection.”
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