Drivers have been warned that they face being fined if they keep parking on the pavement in a Hove street.
But the “alerts” which were first placed on windscreens on Monday (8 January) “came out of the blue” to the area’s councillors.
The notices said that Brighton and Hove City Council planned to start issuing parking fines in the road from Monday 22 January.
Conservative councillor Samer Bagaeen has challenged the legal basis for the move, saying that he was not aware of any relevant traffic regulation order (TRO) or committee debate.
He said that he was shocked that he and his fellow councillors had not heard about the plans to issue fines until the advisory notices appeared on residents’ cars.
One person who contacted the Westdene and Hove Park ward councillor said that they had parked on the pavement in their street for 30 years.
Another resident thought that the notes were fake because they were aware of an agreement allowing residents to park on the pavement.
In contrast, Councillor Bagaeen was rebuffed when he asked council officials to tackle drivers parking illicitly on the grass at Dyke Road Park.
They told him that they could not take any action and that it would not be possible to issue fines or remove the vehicles.
Councillor Bagaeen also said that bringing in restrictions to tackle pavement parking in Elm Grove had proved “extremely complicated”.
The process took two committee decisions even though the road was in a controlled parking zone.
And in July 2022 a deputation of residents from nearby Nevill Avenue asked the council for a “light touch” parking scheme in the area but were unsuccessful.
Councillor Bagaeen said: “I had an email out of the blue saying the council is going to start warning drivers and people found notices on their cars the same day.
“Where did this come from? I’ve no idea where this came from. Residents are rightly miffed.
“How come, all of a sudden, people are getting notes when, with Dyke Road, no one would do anything? I find this very strange and weird.”
Labour councillor Trevor Muten, who chairs the council’s Transport and Sustainability Committee, said: “Pavement parking is a big problem locally and nationally. We want to make our city safer for pedestrians and other road users.
“The double yellow lines in Nevill Road are not a new parking restriction. They have been in place for a number of years.
“Pavement parking is enforceable on public highways where yellow lines apply on the kerb side. This wasn’t the case with Elm Grove.”
It’s three years since the government launched its public consultation on pavement parking and still it’s done nothing so it’s down to local councils to stop this dangerous driving behaviour. Pavements are for pedestrians.
Max
Except in the photo they show mainly those parked on the left in an area dedicated for parking with a pavement nearest the houses.
The photograph should be more focused on the vehicles to the right who are on the pavement, but there’s no double yellow lines there so no offence is being made.
That area never used to be dedicated for parking as you say, and cars only started parking on the pavement recently. Those houses actually come with no parking. Just because the houses cost a lot of money they don’t automatically come with a right or a place to put your posh car outside
Then they must do what the rest of us great unwashed oiks do. Pay for a driveway On front garden and get a dropped curb at a cost of 3-4k, or park elsewhere and walk home with shopping.
I’ve vehicles parked there for at least a decade.
“I’ve done it wrong for years” is an awful excuse, Burt.
Pedestrians; but also those of us using pavement only mobility transport. I can often barely squeeze past pavement parkers in my power chair. Always need to leave extra time for getting somewhere in case of total block on pavement access.
Be a shame if you scratched one
Very typical of Tory Councillor Bagaeen to pretend he doesn’t understand the rules (which apply nationwide) in order to apportion blame on the Labour council. He must think we’re all stupid to believe his act.
It’s very simple: if there are double yellows (per the road in question), you can be fined if you park on the pavement next to them.
If there are no double yellows (as was the situation in elm grove), you can’t, unless there are specific restrictions against pavement parking.
Except charlotte street in kemptown where vehicles park over the double yellow lines and half on the pavement
I was literally about to make this comment before I read yours. Bagaeen’s disingenuous BS is getting very tiresome these days. Man is still bitter his party lost in such a catastrophic fashion, and he spends more time trying to smear everyone else then actually supporting the people in his constituency. Honestly, he is an embarrassment to the electorate, in my opinion, and needs to do much better as a Ward Councillor, and spend a little less time trying to be a budget Tory.
Nevill Road is one of a few roads in the suburbs where the area normally regarded as a pavement was built widely enough for parking. It would be interesting to know when double yellow lines were painted along that section, and why. It was probably to prevent the use of the road for, effectively, double parking, like we saw in Elm Grove. And I bet it coincides with Legal & General moving in to the offices just down the hill.
Legal and General have been at this location for years and have their own on site parking and also provide various Staff Park and Ride buses.
If you lived anywhere near Legal and General, you would know that many, many of their staff park on the residential roads around the area – often very badly. These people are the main reason Zone P restrictions were introduced.
Tracy
I see so it’s all down to L&G, nothing to do with the schools in the area.
Pavement parking per se is not illegal. Pavement parking where an obstruction is caused is potentially illegal. Pavement parking where there are double yellow lines, which is what this story is about, has been illegal for years and shouldn’t surprise anyone. This article is just clickbait, to stir up complaints about people being done for breaking the law.
Agreed Brian, this isn’t news to anyone who spends the time to understand their Highway Code and keep up to date with it – something they agreed to, and signed to say they would do, as part of acquiring their driving licence.
A new school opened in 2012 in The Droveway, offices in Insurance company and Lloyds corporate restricted their parking spaces, new Residents Parking Permit on the other side of the park took place only before lock down. Where they expect people to park? Council authorized new buildings to be built but do not think about parking. It is a money making machine all the restrictions and having to pay on the streets to park.
Building developers are the ones who should think about providing parking space and not expect the public to provide it. Similarly, people who want to store their private property on public land can’t expect to do so freely.
Clamp them now, get a convoy of trucks to lift the lot of them ,,, make them pay make them pay make them pay,,,,, and then tax them a little bit MORE, I think is the real culprit here.
I walked up there many times and often am hardly able to squeeze past big cars parked so badly. People using a wheelchair or people with prams would find it impossible to use the pavement.
It is time for all pavement parking to be banned throughout Brighton and hove,pavements are for pedestrians not cars
Pavements are for cyclists!
Ah Tom! You made it to 2024. It’s been a while. How’s life?
I have been liaising with the relevant Officer & it appears that the warning noticed were issued in error on Monday & no further notices have been issued this week.
This area will be considered as part of the revised parking scheme timetable when presented to committee in June.
The warning notice period is being considered to be extended.
Parking on Madeira Drive footpath still awaits action. Council is the freeholder . So no excuse anymore
Derek – not peddling the old VG3 won’t cost the local taxpayer a sausage trope today ?
Mike, deflecting instead of engaging with people constructively again today?
The Councillor’s argument is that in his ward some residents have been blocking pavements for decades and he hasn’t done anything about it. He’s not going to start now
I realise parking pavement parking in my road, is not a crime. However, it doesn’t give someone the right to drive their car at someone whilst on the pavement, trying to intimidate them. I reported this online to 101 on 27th Jan. I didn’t keep the submission number as thought someone would get back to us.