Mind your parking!

Poor parking by Whitstable motorists could cost a £70 fine in future.

From Wednesday 1st February, Canterbury City Council will start issuing penalty charge notices to drivers who leave their vehicles double parked, or across a dropped kerb.

What this means in practice is as follows, according to the council's website:

• DROPPED KERBS: this does not apply to kerbs in front of private drives. What it does mean is that you should not park in front of lowered kerbs, mainly at junctions, which are there to enable people with wheelchairs and pushchairs to cross the road easily.
• DOUBLE PARKING: This is defined as parking alongside another vehicle on the same side of the road, or parking more than 50cm (about 20 inches) out from the road edge.

The new enforcement will apply to all motorists, including blue badge holders.