Police in Liverpool have cracked down on motorists illegally obstructing cycle lanes after a complaint was made about a car which had been parked in one of the lanes on the Kingsley Road for days.
Responding to the complaint, Merseyside Police’s Roads Policing Unit visited the area in Toxteth and issued a number of tickets for “causing an unnecessary obstruction”.
Following a community complaint earlier today on our previous tweet, patrol has attended Kingsley Road to look at the parking issue. Several tickets for causing an unnecessary obstruction have been issued #MRPU #SYN1 #YOUSAID/WEDID pic.twitter.com/B6rEFmHJ8g
— Roads Policing Unit (@MerPolTraffic) January 4, 2022
The unit took to Twitter to highlight and share images of the offences, and to warn drivers against parking in the lanes. “If you have a drive way, use it,” the tweet read. “There are also parking areas on the side of the road where the Police vehicle is. Please do not obstruct the cycle lane or pavement or you can expect a ticket”.
A couple more examples of obstructive parking from Kingsley Road – if you have a drive way, use it. There are also parking areas on the side of the road where the Police vehicle is. Please do not obstruct the cycle lane or pavement park or you can expect a ticket #MRPU #SYN1 pic.twitter.com/409FSqatTl
— Roads Policing Unit (@MerPolTraffic) January 4, 2022
The response to the police’s action was generally positive, with one Twitter user urging the unit to “keep this up until the message gets through!”
> Councils get new powers to fine drivers parking in bike lanes
The newly-installed Kingsley Road cycle lanes form part of an experimental £1.3 million investment into traffic infrastructure in the area, which also includes the creation of a new temporary one-way system, a 20mph speed limit, and resurfacing works.
Incidentally, the one-way system was installed to allow for more road space for formal parking, to avoid motorists obstructing the cycle lane. A decision will be made in June on whether these changes will become permanent.
17 thoughts on ““Expect a ticket”: Drivers obstructing cycle lanes fined by Merseyside Police”
Just good!
Just good!
The amount of drivers who
The amount of drivers who believe double yellows do not count if they go halfway onto the pavement is staggering. The trouble is most of the time the police ignore it and only councils get involved.
Police / Councils should also be able to enforce parking offences via camera. This crossing regularly has people parking on the zigzags, sometimes two before the it leading back to the island. A camera on one of the poles facing it would soon stop it from happening.
AlsoSomniloquism wrote:
I thought it was only allowed if you deployed your BOLAS?
Although round my neck of the city I think you’re OK if you don’t touch or straddle the yellows as it’s very common to have cars completely on the footway if wide enough.
chrisonatrike wrote:
WOOHOOO!
Presumably the reason why
Presumably the reason why people can get parking tickets but not get done for driving on the pavement is (apart from the bizarre “crane defence” leading to the need for video) that this has: a) effectively been decriminalised b) but e.g. councils are allowed to declare their own “administrative punishments” per by-laws? Is that it?
(With trepidation; I can sense a well-known and recently discussed lawyer looming…)
But how else would the
But how else would the drivers just pop into Gregg’s?
Use it as a drive through??
Use it as a drive through??
They only ‘cracked down’
They only ‘cracked down’ after a complaint was made, then seemed to find several examples of bad parking. Why hadn’t these vehicles been ticketed anyway, already? They say ‘expect a ticket’ but I doubt very much if that’s true, as staff shortages will mean their attention is diverted elsewhere before long.
Op Park-Safe was one the WMP
Op Park-Safe was one the WMP RHRT used to run as well as the close pass, catching mobile phone use from buses and speed cameras. There used to be alot of success for them all and plenty of support on twitter (apart from the odd “Catch real criminals” or “donut eating wasters in front of a keyboard” type comments). So WMP decided to get rid of the team.
Related point: there was a
Related point: there was a pavement parking consultation in 2020, and we’re still waiting for the results/change in policy.
Anyone know when we can expect to hear something?
HarrogateSpa wrote:
It’s been temporarily left on a footway for a sec while the government are “just popping in” to the free market.
I hope they have left their
I hope they have left their BOLAS on…
HarrogateSpa wrote:
It will arrive shortly after the consultation on the review of road laws, from seven years ago. Don’t hold your breath, and anyway, you peds are not only a minority, you obstruct drivers!
Not sure, but I know Scotgov
Not sure, but I know Scotgov have just launched a consultation on this subject. Just don’t ask why I know, because I can’t remember!
There’s a sandwich shop
There’s a sandwich shop around the corner from me, every day without fail there are a long procession of vehicles, usually vans and trucks, which park half on the pavement, on double yellow lines. pedestrians struggle to pass on the remainder of the pavement, and those with buggies must walk around the vehicles into the road to pass.
I just watched this – and
I just watched this – and people complain about escooters in the pavement !
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-leicestershire-59894959
Come on BP! You, of all
Come on BP! You, of all people, should know that if they can’t be bothered to do anything about this Passat VO53 BLK crossing the double white lines, with a different plate on the trailer from that on the car, carrying sheep (probably), with a child in the front seat not wearing a seat-belt (probably) and travelling on a public road without road-tax, then they’re going to choose tea and doughnuts at the station over bothering with trivia like double yellow lines, blocked pavements etc