Parking signs erected by neighbours

[Sput]

Upon my return home today I've noticed that a particularly annoying ageing couple have erected a sign on their fence reading "disabled access" implying "no parking" I suppose, on the public road immediately outside their house.

Now what's the legality on this? The parking on the street does on occasion get a bit annoying but do they have any right to just go ahead and put their own sign up? I was of the opinion that you couldn't earmark spaces on the road in that fashion apart from to get access to your drive.

I must add too that these neighbours are in no way as annoying as the ones plaguing other metropolitans. They are annoying wankers though and I may change their sign later if it transpires they have no legal right.

[Gavin Scott]

I don't think it's a straightforward issue, and it may well be subject to local byelaws. But as you *won't* tell me where you live sweetie, I'll have to take, err, Tameside as my working example.

The signage could be construed as an "advertisement". Regulations allow for certain advertisements to be displayed without needing a specific permission. This is "deemed consent" but certain conditions apply.

Class 2: miscellaneous advertisements.

This gives consent for three types of small notices and signs on any premises. In all cases no letters or symbols on the signs may be over 0.75m in height but only signs for medical services can be illuminated.

Class 2(A) permits house numbers or names and signs no bigger than 0.3sqm like 'Shut the Gate', 'Beware of the Dog' or 'No Parking Please'.

The implication in the document is that requests for parking restictions on a public byway are acceptable.

Whether or not they can enforce such a sign is a different matter. It might be worth trying it to see what they do.

In any event, cars parking outside the always-open windows of my flat is a real pain in the ass - the noise alone.

I wish I had a disability and a little blue cripple-car so I could put up my own sign.

[Sput]

a particularly annoying ageing couple have erected a sign

as you *won't* tell me where you live sweetie, I'll have to take, err, Tameside as my working example.

Am I to assume there's an erection where you live too?

[Gavin Scott]

There is now you're talking about it.

[Nick Harvey]

Upon my return home today I've noticed that a particularly annoying ageing couple have erected a sign on their fence reading "disabled access" implying "no parking" I suppose, on the public road immediately outside their house.

Use your skills in English, Sir.

Park in the space, then, if they complain, explain that you were making sure the access WAS disabled by blocking it with your car.

It doesn't cost much more than a few extra pence to make the sign read "This parking space is required by a disabled couple to reduce the distance they have to walk to their house. It would be greatly appreciated if it could be left clear."

If they bothered to put up a polite sign like that, then I'm sure you (and I) would take note of it. As it is, if they can only bother with two words, then, to put it bluntly, sod them.

As for the legality, they haven't so much as a (disabled) leg to stand on. Only the council can instigate parking restrictions, and then only AFTER giving the public notice and an oportunity to object.

[Spencer For Hire]

Where I used to live there was a disabled woman nearby who somehow got the council to put an official painted disabled space outside her house. The trouble was, she moved out, but the space remained there... forever empty. They even resurfaced the road and repainted it.