Labour-led council bans pensioner from parking on his own driveway
A Labour-led council has banned a pensioner from parking on his own driveway – because it's 50cm too small.
Bob Howes, 73, parked outside his home in Southampton, Hampshire, for 20 years until receiving a letter that told him to stop.
Southampton city council officials informed him that he could no longer park on his driveway because it had no dropped kerb.
But after spending £160 on an application to have the kerb installed, which would cost him another £3,000, he was told no.
Instead, Mr Howes has to pay £30-a-year for a permit to park on the other side of the 'busy' street.
Mr Howes and his wife Dawn, who have lived in the house since 1984, have 'parked on the drive for at least 20 years', he said.
The pensioner described his 'embarrassment' at having to park on the street. He said: 'We have off-road parking and we've had to explain to neighbours why we're no longer parking there'.
Motorists can be fined if parking across a pavement or verge without a dropped edge.
Enforcement action differs across councils but fines can be as high as £1,000, according to Waltham Forest council.
Mr Howes said he was 'willing to pay to have the work done'. However, the application was rejected because the 4.3-metre space was just below the required 4.8 metres, despite Mr Howes' Hyundai i10 being only 3.6 metres long.
Mr Howes said 'it would take decades before they (the council) receive £3,000' at the rate of £30-a-year.
Cllr Eamonn Keogh, the cabinet member for environment and transport, said: 'The minimum space requirements ensure that we meet our duty, as the Highway Authority, to ensure that all users of the highway can use the footway'.
The measurements are 'enough to accommodate the average estate car at 4.7m long and the overall average car length of 4.4m,' he said.
He added overhanging vehicles can make it 'difficult for some users such as parents with buggies or people with a mobility aid '.
The retired civil servant is not the first to be affected by the rule.
In August last year Ed Fisher, 78, was banned from using his driveway after 50 years.
Speaking to the MailOnline, Mr Fisher said: 'We have to be responsible for paying for the dropped kerb ourselves. It smacks of 'we haven't got much to do, so we'll go and get em''.
Earlier this month, Lambeth Council, another majority Labour council in South London, identified more than 200 properties where motorists were illegally parked.
Residents were told they would have to pay an estimated £7,000 to add a dropped kerb, including £4,000 for the application.
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