Police have slapped a Land Rover owner with a fine for parking on the pavement and completely blocking a footpath.
The heavy SUV was seen parking neatly on the footpath but crucially blocked the entire route for pedestrians looking to get past.
Knutsford Police revealed they had issued a Fixed Penalty Notice to the owner as their actions had forced pedestrians onto a 60mph road.
Officers pointed out the possible risks to wheelchair users and parents or carers pushing prams with young children by breaking the driving law.
Images of the vehicle were quickly uploaded to the social media site Facebook over the weekend.
Alongside the image, Knutsford Police posted: “The vehicle on the picture has been issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice for fully parking on the pavement.
“As you can see, it was forcing pedestrians, wheelchair users and prams on to the busy 60mph A556 carriageway.”
Although some locals praised the officers for taking action against the owner, some quickly called out their actions.
One motorist claimed they had “never” seen someone in a wheelchair use that section of the road in over 30 years.
They suggested offices were likely “overreaching” and indicated it was a “lack of common sense”. Another local resident added that no parents would push a buggy down such a busy road in the first place.
According to the Highway Code, road users should always avoid parking on the pavement wherever possible.
Rule 244 states that motorists “MUST NOT park partially or wholly on the pavement in London and should not do so elsewhere unless signs permit it”.
However, Highway Code Rule 242 is a little stricter, stating road users “MUST NOT leave your vehicle or trailer in a dangerous position or where it causes any unnecessary obstruction of the road”.
According to Compare the Market, rule 242 could be used against road users in some circumstances.
They said: “Under this rule, police can penalise you if they deem your parking to be dangerous or in any way causing an obstruction of the road. This is true even if legally you can park on the pavement.
“This would land you with a Fixed Penalty Notice, which includes a fine and sometimes penalty points on your licence.”
They stressed fines will vary between different councils but fees are likely to be in the region of £70 in a major blow to cash-strapped road users.
