An Englishman (or woman)'s home is their castle and parking outside your own home, whether it is on the street, in a car park or on your own drive is something we like to think of as a basic right.

But what can you do if your space is not there when you get home?

We've got the run down on what the law, the council and the Highway Code says about on street parking, drive blocking and what you can do if you run into problems.

What if someone parks on your drive?

If someone parks in front of your driveway, blocking you in, what can you legally do about it?

The answer, unfortunately, is surprisingly little.

But there are some steps you can take if your are unlucky enough for this to happen to you, and what course of action is available.

If you are affected by antisocial parking, the first thing you should do is contact both the police and the councill.

But even if there is a car blocking your driveway, there is little the law can do to support you.

And, despite what the Highway Code states and what most motorists were taught when they were learning to drive, it is not actually illegal for a motorist to park in front of a private driveway.

It's predominantly impolite and uncurteous.

Paragraph 243 of the Highway Code requests motorists 'do not park in front of an entrance to a property.'

But since the code uses the phrasing 'do not', this is only deemed advisory and as a result there is no legal comeback if the motorist ignores it.

Can you put cones out on the street outside your house?

With terraces making up large parts of Cheltenham, Gloucester and Stroud, on street parking is a big source of parking issues but frustrated residents who use cones or bins to reserve a parking space outside their homes may not realise they are breaking the rules of the road.

Council officials take a dim view of people who cone-off space outside their homes to prevent commuters from clogging up their neighbourhood.

While the practice is unlikely to incur a fine, Gloucestershire County Council has previously said it is ‘not permitted’ and officials will simply remove them if necessary.

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Everything you need to know about the law around street parking

  • The bad news for people who live in town centres, where parking is often at a premium, is that unless someone is blocking your driveway – or their wheel is over the dropped kerb to your house – they are not doing anything wrong.
  • The police are keen to remind people that it's not 'your right' to park in front of your house - unless you have a designated parking space.
  • Unless your street is governed by residents' parking permits, any member of the public can park in your street - as long as they are complying with restrictions, and not causing obstructions.

The Highway Code says you must not park….

  • On a pedestrian crossing, including the area marked by the zig-zag lines
  • In marked taxi bays
  • In a cycle lane
  • On red lines
  • Near a school entrance
  • Anywhere that would prevent access for Emergency Services
  • At or near a bus/tram stop
  • Opposite or within 10 metres of a junction
  • Over a dropped kerb
  • In front of the entrance to a property
