With roads in the UK getting busier and households having 2+ cars due to children staying at home a little longer, it is inevitable that if you have a driveway, a vehicle may block it at some point. But is it illegal to block a driveway and can you force that person to move their car?
Is it illegal to block a driveway?
When we take a look at the legalities of blocking a driveway we need to refer to the Highway Code, something that we only tend to pick up before taking a driving test.
Rule 243 of the Highway Code sets the standards of where people can and cannot park their vehicles. It says drivers should not leave their car in front of an entrance to a property. This rule therefore clearly states that should someone park across your driveway it would break this rule.
However, the Highway Code is a set of guidelines that drivers must adhere to and isn’t actually set out in law. whilst you can still be penalised with a hefty fine or a prison sentence when specific rules are backed up by official traffic laws, those that don’t are just advisory and therefore not legally binding.
So, if someone parks in front of your driveway, the rule itself is not covered by official traffic laws and means that moving them on can prove a little difficult.
What should I do?
In the first instance, it is highly recommended to contact your local authority or the police, although you must understand that little can be done in the eyes of the law when it comes to supporting those with driveways with blocked driveways.
If the vehicle is actually causing an obstruction to the road, this is different, so long as the vehicle isn’t on a private road or land, in this case the Police can get involved.
If the driver who is blocking your drive is a regular, you could make a legal claim for nuisance on the driver is interfering with your use and enjoyment of your property, you would need to know the identity of the offending driver.
You could have a friendly word with the driver, they might not realise the importance of access to your property or that it is in breach with the rules of the Highway Code.
If they carry on or they are abusive, this could then be reported to the Police who will make enquiries.
More Information
The rules of the Highway Code to change on a regular basis and it is good to “swot up” on the latest revisions. Thanks to the internet, you can view and search the Highway Code on the gov.uk website by clicking the highlighted link.
You can also a hradcopy of the Highway Code booklet via outlets such as Amazon, we’ve shared our affiliate link in the highlighted text.
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