East Suffolk Council
Parking problems
All drivers are required to follow the rules of the highway; however, there may be occasions where these rules are ignored.
The Highway Code can be viewed online at The Highway Code, road safety and vehicle rules.
Abandoned vehicles
Abandoned vehicle cases are investigated by our Environmental Protection team. If you suspect a vehicle is abandoned, please visit our Abandoned vehicles web page.
Blue Badge misuse
If you suspect that a Blue Badge is being misused, please report it to the issuing authority. For Blue Badges issued by Suffolk County Council, please visit their website to report Blue Badge misuse.
Dangerous and obstructive parking
East Suffolk Council cannot enforce dangerous or obstructive parking unless the vehicle is parked in contravention of a specific highway restriction (such as double yellow lines or other marked restrictions).
Where no such restrictions exist, responsibility for dealing with dangerous or obstructive parking remains the responsibility of the Police. If you believe a vehicle is parked in a way that poses a safety risk or causes a serious obstruction, please contact Suffolk Police via their website or their non-emergency number 101.
Dropped kerb enforcement
Vehicles should not park over dropped kerbs. Dropped kerbs are installed for important reasons, such as:
- Providing safe passage for pedestrians, particularly those who are disabled or use a pushchair
- Ensuring vehicular access to driveways or parking areas
Parking over dropped kerbs causes obstruction for pedestrians and other road users and should be avoided to maintain safety and accessibility for everyone.
Enforcement will only be carried out when a vehicle is parked over the part of the footway that is level with the carriageway—this is the main crossing or access point. The sloped (tapered) area leading to the dropped kerb is not enforceable on its own.
Pedestrian dropped kerbs
Rule 243 of the highway code states DO NOT stop or park where the kerb has been lowered to help wheelchair users and powered mobility vehicles.
Whilst East Suffolk Council is not able to directly enforce the Highway Code, dropped kerbs are included within a Special Enforcement Area (SEA) which gives the council authority to serve Penalty Charge Notices (PCN) where a vehicle is parked adjacent to these dropped kerbs. Although some dropped kerbs benefit from having white ‘H’ bar markings, there is no requirement for the dropped kerb to be lined or signed.
Vehicular dropped kerbs
Dropped kerbs installed for vehicular access outside residential or business premises are not enforced unless specifically requested by the resident or business owner. We will only consider sending an officer to the location if a specific vehicle is parking on a regular basis.
Exemptions to the dropped kerb restriction
There may be occasions where our officers will not be able to issue a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN):
- The vehicle is parked wholly within a designated parking bay
- The vehicle is engaged with continuous loading and unloading for no longer than 20 minutes
- The vehicle has stopped to allow a passenger to board and alight
- A vehicle has consent from the property owner to park over a dropped kerb installed outside their residence for vehicular access (excludes shared driveways)
- The vehicle is involved in a statutory undertaking such as refuse collection, road works or emergency services
You can report a vehicle for parking over a dropped kerb by submitting a report online via our suspected parking contravention report.
Report a suspected parking contravention.
Moving traffic offences
East Suffolk Council does not have the authority to enforce moving traffic offences (such as driving through no entry signs, ignoring one-way restrictions, or failing to stop at a red light). These matters remain the responsibility of the Police.
To report a moving traffic offence, please contact Suffolk Police via their website or their non-emergency number 101.
Parking on footway and verges
As stated in Rule 244 of the Highway Code, vehicles should not park partially or wholly on the pavement unless signs specifically permit it.
Parking on pavements or verges can obstruct pedestrians, particularly those with visual impairments, people using wheelchairs, or those with prams or pushchairs. It can also damage underground services, such as electrical or gas lines, causing disruption and potential safety hazards.
Parking on verges during wet weather can cause significant damage, resulting in churned-up ground that makes the verge unsightly. Not only does this create a mess, but it also poses a safety hazard by making the highway slippery and unsafe for all users.
Some highway regulations apply from the centreline of the carriageway up to the highway boundary, which can include footways and verges. However, East Suffolk Council cannot enforce parking on footways or verges unless a specific highway regulation, such as ‘No Waiting’ (yellow lines), is present on the adjacent carriageway.
To report footway parking cases where no highway restrictions exist, please contact Suffolk Police via their website or their non-emergency number 101.
Repairing vehicles on the road
The offence of repairing vehicles on the highway is primarily aimed at individuals or businesses who irresponsibly use the road as a workshop.
This includes any person carrying out repair, maintenance, servicing, improvement, or dismantling of a vehicle - or installing, replacing, or renewing any part or accessory—on a public road as part of a business.
Such activity can cause disruption, create hazards, and negatively impact the street environment. Enforcement action may be taken where business-related vehicle repairs are being conducted on the highway.
However, this does not apply to private individuals performing minor repairs to their own vehicles, or to those carrying out essential work at the roadside to get a vehicle moving again after a breakdown or accident.
Abandoned vehicle or roadside issues.
Selling vehicles on the road
The offence of selling vehicles on the road is intended to target those people who run a business selling motor vehicles and use the road as a mock showroom. This behaviour is unfair to residents and neighbouring businesses who are thereby deprived of using the road themselves to park vehicles and go about their daily lives.
A person commits an offence if he leaves two or more motor vehicles parked within 500 metres of each other on a road or roads where they are exposed or advertised for sale for the purposes of a business of selling motor vehicles. It is not intended to target occasional individual private sellers of single vehicles.
Abandoned vehicle or roadside issues.
Suspected parking contravention
If you believe a vehicle is parked in contravention of a highway regulation, you can report it using our suspected parking contravention report.
When submitting a report, please provide as much detail as possible, including but limited to the address of the location, vehicle registration number, type of contravention, time and date of contravention and any relevant photos (if available).
An officer may not always be available to attend immediately, but your report will help us monitor problem areas and take appropriate action where possible.
Please note that for a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) to be issued, a Civil Enforcement Officer (CEO) must witness the parking contravention in person. Reports submitted by the public cannot directly result in a PCN nor can we contact the registered keeper about their parking.
We do however use these reports to identify problem areas and adjust our enforcement patrols accordingly. Your input helps us target our efforts where they are needed most.
Please be aware that there may be some situations where our officers may not be able to issue a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN):
- A vehicle is parked on a ‘No Waiting’ regulation and is displaying a valid Blue Badge
- A vehicle is parked on a ‘No Waiting’ regulation and is undertaking continuous loading and unloading
- The vehicle is parked in a resident permit bay but has a valid virtual permit or voucher
- The vehicle leaves before an officer arrives at the location
- The highway regulation is not compliant and is either missing regulatory signage or the surface markings are inadequate
Report a suspected parking contravention.
Tax and MOT
East Suffolk Council is not able to act against vehicles that do not have valid road tax or an MOT. These issues must be reported to the relevant authorities.
Before submitting a report, please check the tax and MOT status of the vehicle from DVLA: Get vehicle information from DVLA.
Vehicles with no road tax should be reported to DVLA; Report an untaxed vehicle.
Vehicles with no MOT should be reported to the Police; Report a vehicle with no MOT.
