Drivers in England face £70 fines for not parking close enough to kerb from Monday

Drivers face £70 fines for not parking close enough to the kerb in a new crackdown. Drivers in one part of England have been warned to expect a fine if they park across dropped kerbs, in cycle lanes, or across driveways.

Motorists are also being warned they face new enforcement rules and fines if they are not parked close enough to the kerb. The new crackdown has been launched by Sheffield City Council and will see drivers fined £70 by the local authority.

Obstructive parking could previously only be enforced by police, the council added. It comes after research in a recent consultation which found over half of participants had experienced vehicles blocking their driveways. Richard Eyre, the council's director of streetscene and regulation, said: "Double parking, for example, may obstruct other road users including emergency services vehicles.

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"Parking in front of dropped kerbs can put people with visual impairments or with restricted mobility at risk as well as impacting drivers trying to enter or leave a premises." The new rules come into effect on Monday, May 20.

Motorists who are found to be breaking the new enforcement rules and causing obstruction to other road users, could face a fine of £70, reduced to £35 if paid within 14 days. Darren Miller, from BigWantsYourCar.com said: "The UK government has proposed changes to how local councils manage revenue from certain moving traffic violations, like driving in bus lanes or box junctions.

"Currently, councils can retain any surplus funds after covering enforcement costs." Mr Miller went on, saying: "However, there are concerns that some councils may be improperly targeting these violations to generate income rather than for legitimate traffic management."

The fines will be reduced by half if paid within a fortnight - but motorists are being told to brush up on the new restrictions.