Parking wars: why putting cones or bins outside your house to stop people parking is illegal

Parking tensions are growing in towns and cities across the UK, with disputes increasingly spilling onto the street. In areas where on-street parking is scarce, some residents are taking matters into their own hands by placing cones, bins, paint tins, or even garden chairs in the road to “reserve” a space outside their home.

The answer is straightforward: you cannot legally reserve a space on a public road, and doing so can lead to fines or legal consequences.

The law on cones and parking outside homes

Under UK law, public roads are for everyone to use legally. A resident has no automatic right to the parking space outside their property unless they have an officially designated disabled bay or a private driveway.

Placing objects such as cones or bins in the street to deter others from parking counts as an obstruction of the highway. This is illegal and can result in penalties. Only councils, the police, or licensed traffic management contractors can place traffic cones on public roads.

Traffic cones themselves are official traffic control devices. They must meet strict safety standards and are only legally used for roadworks, hazard warnings, or directing traffic. Using them outside your home without authorisation is unlawful.

Consequences for blocking parking spaces with cones or bins

If you block the road with items such as cones, bins, or paint tins, you could face:

• Fines for obstructing the highway.
• Liability if the objects cause an accident or damage.
• Removal of the items by the council or police.

Some councils have enforcement teams that regularly patrol residential areas where parking disputes are common. Complaints about unauthorised cones are often treated as anti-social behaviour.

The parking situation in Southend, including Westcliff and Leigh-on-Sea

In Southend, the issue is becoming more noticeable in high-demand parking areas such as Westcliff and Leigh-on-Sea. These neighbourhoods, with dense housing and limited driveways, are seeing more residents resorting to blocking spaces with household items.

Parking in many areas of Southend is tightly managed. Southend City Council operates enforcement schemes across the city, issuing permits for residents and licences for temporary use of yellow lines when needed for removals, skips, or building work. Without such authorisation, any attempt to block a road space is treated as unlawful obstruction.

Residents describe the frustration clearly. One Westcliff resident, Christopher Locke, said:

“Westcliff is an awful place for parking. I feel sorry for anyone that lives down those roads. We did for two years with a new baby – it was an absolute nightmare. Some days I’d get home from shopping and have to park three roads away. So pleased we are out of there.”

Another local, Dave Gardener, explained how he deals with neighbours placing cones outside their homes:

“I have two neighbours who have been ‘reserving’ spaces outside their homes regularly. I just pick up the cones and sling them over a fence.”

This underlines how stretched parking capacity has become in parts of the city, with residents turning to unlawful methods to try to secure kerbside space.

What to do if someone reserves a parking space on the road illegally

If you find cones, bins, or other objects reserving a parking space on a public road:

1. Do not damage the items – you could be held liable.
2. Report it to your local council – most councils have a dedicated team for highway obstructions.
3. Contact the police (non-emergency) if the obstruction is persistent or dangerous.
4. Avoid confrontation with neighbours, which can escalate disputes.

Can you ever reserve a parking space on a road legally?

There are only limited circumstances where a space can be legally reserved:

• Disabled bays applied for through the council.
• Residents’ parking permit schemes in controlled parking zones.
• Licensed temporary restrictions, such as skips, building work, or events, with official council approval.

Outside of these, no resident has the right to block or claim part of the public highway.

The increase in “parking wars” across the UK reflects the pressure on urban spaces, especially in cities, coastal towns and commuter suburbs like Westcliff and Leigh-on-Sea. But the law is clear: putting cones, bins, or barriers in the road to reserve a parking space is illegal.

The only long-term solution lies in council-managed schemes, enforcement, or – where possible – residents securing off-street parking. Until then, the battles over kerbside spaces look set to continue.