Incorrectly parked cars or parking offences

What is a parking offence?

A parking offence can consist of:

• Vehicles blocking access to your driveway or dropped kerb
• Vehicles loading/unloading where not permitted, or at unauthorised times
• Vehicles parking incorrectly outside a school
• Vehicles parking where not permitted, or at unauthorised times

Vehicles exempt from parking restrictions

There are some vehicles that are exempt from the parking restrictions or have permission to park in certain bays. These vehicles will usually have either a permit, badge or ticket on display. Check a vehicle for this before you report it as incorrectly parked.

Vehicles parked dangerously or causing an obstruction

We cannot issue fines to vehicles parked dangerously or causing an obstruction where there is no parking restriction. For example, if a vehicle has been parked at a junction and is creating a hazard to other motorists or pedestrians. These vehicles can only be dealt with by the police. Contact Hampshire Constabulary by calling 101.

We use a camera car to address incorrect parking outside schools and bus stops where motorists are putting the safety of others at risk and causing unnecessary congestion. This forms part of a wider programme of measures to improve road safety around schools, the reliability and punctuality of public transport, and reduce congestion.

Enforcement of dropped kerbs

Those who park their vehicle alongside a dropped kerb in Southampton may receive a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) of £70.00.

Parking across a dropped or lowered kerb can prevent other members of the public from gaining access to the road or carriageway or from getting their vehicles in and out of their driveways.

It may also impact the safety of people:

• with lower levels of mobility
• reliant on mobility aids such as wheelchairs
• who are using a pushchair

Vehicles must not be parked adjacent to any footway, cycle track or verge that has been dropped or raised to meet the level of the carriageway. Especially where the level of the footway, cycle track or verge has been lowered in order to assist pedestrians crossing the carriageway or assist cyclists or vehicles entering or leaving the carriageway.

Blue Badge holders are not permitted to park at dropped kerbs.

When a kerb is considered to be blocked

A vehicle is considered to be committing a parking contravention where any wheel of the vehicle is placed on any part along the full length of the dropped kerb, this includes the sloped kerb stones.

The only exceptions are where a vehicle is:

• parked in a designated parking bay
• parked outside of a residential premises by or with consent (this does not apply to shared driveways, which includes driveways to buildings of multiple occupancy e.g. flats)
• being used by the emergency services
• parked for the purpose of making a delivery (20 minutes max.)
• parked for the purpose of certain building or maintenance works

Reporting blockage of a dropped kerb

Use the following form to report a parking offence. When reporting blocked access, you will be required to provide the following:

• your name/company name
• your address
• your telephone number
• details of the vehicle obstructing your driveway

This is so that we can verify that you are the owner of the house for which enforcement action is being requested.

Once the above information has been received, we will arrange for a Civil Enforcement Officer to visit the location and carry out appropriate enforcement. Priority is given to those vehicles which are prevented from exiting their driveway.

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How to report a parking offence

If you become aware of persistent or ongoing incorrect parking, you can report this to us using our online form.

You can use this form to report if a vehicle is:

• Blocking access to your driveway
• Blocking access to a dropped kerb for pushchair/wheelchair access
• Parked on ‘zig zag’ lines
• Parked on single/double yellow lines
• Parked in a controlled parking zone without displaying a valid permit/voucher
• Double parked/causing an obstruction
• Parked in a disabled bay without displaying a valid disabled (blue) badge
• Parked in a bus stop/taxi rank
• Parked in a loading/electric/suspended bay

All reports are treated in confidence to avoid disputes.

What happens next?

Subject to available resources, a civil enforcement officer will go and assess, and if a vehicle is parked in contravention of a parking restriction, a penalty charge notice may be issued.

If you suspect that the vehicle has been abandoned or is hazardous, like being burnt out, you can find out more information on reporting an abandoned vehicle.

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CCTV enforcement vehicles

We also use a camera car to address incorrect parking outside schools and bus stops where motorists are putting the safety of others at risk and causing unnecessary congestion. This forms part of a wider programme of measures to improve road safety around schools, the reliability and punctuality of public transport, and reduce congestion.

Where does the CCTV vehicle operate?

We have identified problem areas including:

• Roads with yellow zigzag markings (school keep clear markings)
• Bus stops

How does the CCTV camera enforcement work?

The CCTV enforcement vehicle is driven by trained operatives who are experienced civil enforcement officers. The vehicle is clearly marked with CCTV enforcement and council logos.

Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras will record any vehicles parked incorrectly. This footage is reviewed and an independent officer will determine if a parking contravention has occurred.

If a parking contravention has occurred, a penalty charge notice is sent to the address of the registered keeper of the vehicle. This will be sent by post within 28 days of the date of the alleged parking contravention. Find out more about paying and challenging parking fines.