Southampton man prohibited from parking on his driveway

A 73-year-old pensioner in Southampton has been told he cannot park on his own driveway. Bob Howes and his wife Dawn have lived in their home for 20 years without any parking issues. Recently, they received a letter from the council saying their driveway was not allowed because it does not have a dropped kerb. Bob offered to pay £3,000 to have a dropped kerb installed. However, the council rejected this request. The couple is now embarrassed because they must park on the street instead of their driveway. They also have to pay £30 each year for a parking permit since they live in a controlled parking area. Bob's application was denied because his driveway space is just 50 centimetres short of the required length. He believes it is unfair since his car is only 3.6 meters long. He pointed out that it would take the council a long time to collect his proposed payment through the annual fee, which is less than the installation cost of a dropped kerb. A council representative explained that rules for dropped kerbs exist to ensure safe passage for all road users. They emphasized that the minimum space requirement for a vehicle crossover has changed over the years. New applications must meet these current criteria, which are available on the council's website.