Double yellow lines.

[1ARMEDBANDIT]

I have been told that stopping someone parking on a road that has double yellow lines is not legally enforceable...In other words the Police cannot book you unless there`s been a complaint made against you. Is this right? Where I live the Police seem to turn a blind eye to people parking on double yellow lines, I was wondering if this was the reason.
Thank you in advance.

[barry1010]

I don't understand your question. You personally cannot stop anyone from parking on the public highway, and if you use cones or other objects to try to do so you can be prosecuted for obstructing the highway.
The local council may be dealing with parking offences, so report any matters to the council as well as the police.
To clarify the law, it is illegal to park on double yellow lines except in certain circumstances such as loading unless there is a valid permit or disabled badge.
Whoever is responsible for enforcing this law in your area can issue a notice whether a complaint has been made or not.

[Panic Button]

I think they 'turn a blind eye' because responsibilty for parking enforcement has been passed to local councils. This is, I think, supposed to free up the police for more important work.

In some towns the locals know the hours when the parking enforcers are off duty, and park where ever they like then.

[Buenchico]

In many parts of the country, parking 'offences' (dealt with by the police and/or traffic wardens) have been 'decriminalised' and are now just parking 'contraventions' (which are dealt with by council parking wardens). That might well explain why your local police force appear to be ignoring parking on double yellow lines. (i.e. it's no longer a criminal offence, per se, so it has nothing to do with them).

However, 'causing an obstruction' remains a criminal offence and the police can still act to deal with it. They can act whenever a parked vehicle obstructs the flow of traffic (irrespective of the presence, or otherwise, of any yellow lines) but, unless someone complains about the obstruction (or the parked vehicle is obviously causing a major problem) they'll probably leave things to the council parking staff.

Police officers need to think about which area they're patrolling. Here in Suffolk, the police are still responsible for parking offences in Stowmarket, where they employ designated 'traffic' PCSOs specifically to issue tickets to drivers who park on double yellow lines. However, if a Stowmarket-base police officer (or PCSO) is re-assigned to duties just down the road in Ipswich, he (or she) can no longer issue a ticket solely because a vehicle is parked on a double yellow line. (Parking irregularities have been decriminalised in Ipswich. Enforcement is down to council parking wardens). They can only act if the vehicle is causing an obstruction.

Chris

[paraffin]

Try stopping on them if you like but don't then complain if you do get a ticket!

[paraffin]

I should have said "parking" instead of "stopping".

[kempie]

"waiting"