Village Parking

When many English villages were established, residents used the horse and cart. In modern times, parking a car in a village can be challenging.

Space

“The final frontier”, as they say, can be an issue as property development in villages occurred across many eras with older dwellings not being designed to accommodate modern vehicles. Car models have grown in size over recent years with an increase in the ownership of SUV’s. More space is being taken up by these larger format vehicles, along with an increase of cars owned per household, which has resulted in unavoidable street parking. Any new build properties in villages or their extensions, normally endeavour to accommodate vehicles with driveways and garages where possible or a communal parking area. 

Storage

Homes without a useable driveway or garage, may have the option to access spare council garages that can be rented. If none of these options are available, then parking on the street is disadvantageous. Firstly, you may not be able to park close to your home. Secondly, your vehicle could become a victim to theft or damage.  Bird droppings, if parked under a tree or telegraph pole wires can become a free addition to your paintwork. Owners of vehicles parked up for a long duration, such as classic cars,  could consider professional car storage options to alleviate the lack of parking space and risks of street parking.

Territorial Ownership

Residents can be territorial over a regular or ‘favourite’ parking space. A neighbour or a visitor to the village can cause stress to these residents if they parked in this spot. On a public road, legally, there is no ownership over a particular space. Extra chariots can turn up in the form of village visitors, for a church service, a village hall function or even a pub quiz if the village has a public house. This congestion is normally temporary and normal parking availability is resumed after a few hours. It helps if the village hall has a sufficient car park. 

A recent trend for villages that are located close to a town, is an increase in non-residential people using the village to park there instead of town parking – which is normally chargeable during their normal hours of work.  Reports have included groups of cars owned by colleagues from the same company located in the town centre, parking their cars in the village and then using one colleague’s car to drive them all into town to park. Nothing illegal here, however it can be annoying for the villagers when parking space is limited.

Access

Narrowly built roads are a challenge for larger lorries and delivery vans. Can an emergency vehicle such as a fire engine or ambulance access a property past the parked vehicles? Are there vehicles parked where elderly residents need to be as near as possible to their homes? Have any wheelchair access ramps become blocked?

Deliveries of large objects have been known to be executed from a remote location as the delivery lorries are just too large to navigate the narrow roads and parked cars. There is anecdotal evidence of ordered items such as garden furniture, washing machines and beds being unloaded onto a main road then delivered to the home using a sack barrow.

Seasons

Smaller village roads being of minor stature, are not gritted by the council’s gritter lorries in the winter. This results in icy and slippery roads which could cause moving vehicles to hit any roadside parked cars. Salt bins are normally provided, enabling the local community to distribute the salt to mitigate this threat. Spring and summer seasons are not normally a problem. Autumn can bring with it, some slippery roads with fallen wet leaves and foliage. If the passing vehicles stick to the speed limits, then the parked cars should be safe. 

If the vehicle is not used in the winter months – the case with some classic cars, then professional car storage options could be considered. This would help keep the car safe and preserve its paintwork too from the weather. A parking space if normally parked on the street would also be freed.

Safety & Security

Vehicle security best practices should be followed, such as removing any valuables on display, parking where possible in a well-lit location and tools removed from vans overnight if practical.  Investment in a visible steering lock, especially for older vehicles and a faraday key pouch for key fobs that emit a signal to open the doors. For safety, if the vehicle is parked on a hill, in addition to the application of the handbrake, traditional or electronic, a manual transmission car should have a gear engaged when parked. Turning the front wheels towards the kerb to prevent the car rolling down the hill in the event of handbrake failure or being knocked. Automatic transmission vehicles will lock the driven wheels but the handbrake functionality should always be applied regardless.

Green

Owners of electric vehicles, that use street parking, have limited options for charging. For drivers considering an electric vehicle that do not have a driveway, what are their options? 

Can those potential owners rely on just using workplace or public charging stations? This may not be feasible as the vehicle will need regular long, normally overnight charges. Will this restriction prevent them from purchasing an electric vehicle?

Could there be future solutions for villages such as utilising where available, its recreation ground car park with installed charging stations? 

Other more greener options exist, which do not require a parking space – such as walking, cycling or using a local bus service. The commercial electric scooter network is forever increasing its locational coverage. Some villages will have this option. Maybe, the greener options will negate the parking demands, only time will tell. Every time you park up though, appreciate that space! ©