Police fine motorist for pavement parking on 'ridiculous' Leeds road

Police in Leeds have warned people to leave space after they fined a motorist for pavement parking.
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West Yorkshire Police's Leeds South team issued the fine in Haigh Moor Road, Tingley.

They posted on Saturday: "This afternoon, this vehicle was issued with a fixed penalty notice for obstruction.

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"Please leave enough space for double pushchairs and wheelchairs to pass on the pavement."

Police fined this motorist over pavement parking.Police fined this motorist over pavement parking.
Police fined this motorist over pavement parking.

The post provoked a strong reaction on Facebook, with one woman saying: "It was ridiculous on Haigh Moor Road this afternoon, why do people bring their cars, oh that’ll be because they’re not local!"

Other people called for officers to come to their area to police pavement parking.

One said: "It's like this 24/7 on Burton Street LS11 and not just one car sometimes as many as 14 both sides of the road. Can't remember the last time I was able to walk down there without having to go onto the road. Our local police, PCSO's and enforcement officer just seem to completely ignore it."

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Another said: "Maybe take a look at the clowns parking on, opposite and up to the Smithy Lane/ Westerton Road Junction blocking the view for pedestrians trying to cross and drivers using the junction just so they can shop at Tesco. Someone is going to get run over there before long or there'll be an accident at the junction. They park at the bus stop and either side of the car park entrance too.

Another commented: "Please visit Hillthorpe Court in LS10. It’s an accident waiting to happen."

While another posted: "You'd make a fortune on Flanshaw Lane with the amount of cars/vans blocking the pavements there it's disgusting."

One person asked police to visit Queens Drive in Wrenthorpe, while another said: "Go to Blakeney Road Ls10 - black people carrier been a car parked on path not moved for about five weeks, no one can walk on the path, everyone has to walk and go on the road for the idiots that leave it parked there."

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What the law says about parking on pavements according to the RAC:

Parking on the pavement is not illegal outside of London. You can, however, still get a fine for doing so in some instances, which makes the law quite a grey area.

Since 1974, Highway Code rule 244 has stated that drivers "MUST NOT park partially or wholly on the pavement in London and should not do so elsewhere unless signs permit it."

The key things to note here are the words must not and should not.

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Outside of the capital or “elsewhere”, the Highway Code states drivers should not park on the pavement, meaning it is advisory and not, therefore, backed up by any legislation.

Rule 242 is where it gets a little less clear, stating: "You MUST NOT leave your vehicle or trailer in a dangerous position or where it causes any unnecessary obstruction of the road."

This is a must not, again, meaning if your car is reported or seen by a police officer and judged to be either in a dangerous position or causing an unnecessary obstruction of the road, you could receive a Fixed Penalty Notice.