Drive to stop motorists parking on grass verges

The careless drivers also cause hazards for vulnerable road users, block driveways, spoil the appearance of communities, and make it hard for passing traffic to read the road ahead, a report to Scarborough Council says.

Those who cause damage by parking on the grass are also getting off scot free because it is impossible to prove what the impact of the car standing on the ground has been, officers say.

Scarborough Council has taken action in the past to try to deal with this issue. For many years, a scheme was available that allowed Scarborough councillors or parish councils to request warning signs and posts to deter verge parking at hot spots.

Bruce Bedford, technical services manager, said: "This scheme was supported by a borough bylaw that prohibits parking on grass verges.

"The scheme had a measure of success, but the reliance on the bylaw meant that enforcement was very difficult and involved the police taking action."

Funding for the scheme was stopped recently and no blanket ban on parking on verges exists, although dangerous cases could be dealt with by the police.

Mr Bedford also argues against applying a blanket order, because it would mean a huge bill for putting up warning signs.

He added: "To summarise, the options are to apply the bylaw, or to rely on conventional traffic orders affecting the carriageway, or to create orders specifically to control this problem, either on a wholesale basis or targeted at problem sites – or do nothing."

He suggests specific orders to control parking on verges where there is a genuine problem could be the answer. A formal report will be submitted in September setting out targeted locations.