Londynek

Q: Is it legal to park my caravan inthe street outside my home for an indefinite period?

A: It's my understanding that in the UK any vehicle of any description has to be taxed if it is parked on the road...you can't tax a caravan, so therefore it may not be legal to park it on the road. It may fall under one of the Road Traffic Acts about causing an obstruction ...it may be worth looking at those.

Edit
Actually I have just been doing a couple of searches and I found this part of the Highway Code...it doesn't say that you can't park a caravan on the road...so you may be ok to do so...

217. DO NOT park your vehicle or trailer on the road where it would endanger, inconvenience or obstruct pedestrians or other road users. For example, do not stop

• near a school entrance
• anywhere you would prevent access for Emergency Services
• at or near a bus stop or taxi rank
• on the approach to a level crossing
• opposite or within 10 metres (32 feet) of a junction, except in an authorised parking space
• near the brow of a hill or hump bridge
• opposite a traffic island or (if this would cause an obstruction) another parked vehicle
• where you would force other traffic to enter a tram lane
• where the kerb has been lowered to help wheelchair users
• in front of an entrance to a property
• on a bend.

It is not illegal to park your caravan on the road if it is not causing an obstruction to road users. This does not mean that it cannot be a highway obstruction, any vehicle parked on the road is an obstruction to the highway. In practice this means that a caravan can be parked on the road as long as it does not block anybody’s driveway or create a hazard to other road users, such as blocking visibility around a tight bend.

Any caravan owner must ensure that they do not deny access to the public, wilful obstruct the highway without lawful excuse or make unreasonable use of the highway. This is defined under section 137 of the Highways Act and Regulation 103 of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Act of 1986.

It is also necessary that the caravans reflectors face the direction of the traffic. A statement from the Police says that a caravan “must be lit at night if it is parked on a road and comply with the other normal parking rules”. This requirement should be answered if a caravan has all the normal regulation reflectors and is parked near street lighting. Many people do not follow this rule judging by the amount of poorly lit caravans seen on roads. However it is definitely worth making sure that your caravan is adequately visible both for the safety of other road users and for the protection of your caravan.

If you want to park your caravan on a road then you should speak to your insurance company. You may find that your insurance does not cover the car being left on the road for an extended period of time. There are also matters of civility to contemplate; try to consider the needs of your neighbours and other road users. Be courteous, inform them if you are going to leave your caravan on the road. Do not work on your caravan when it is in the road and under no circumstances use it as accommodation. Also you should be aware that the Police are able to issue warnings and fines if they believe that your caravan is causing an obstruction, it is down to the discretion of the Police officers what constitutes an obstruction so heed their warning.

Rules vary about parking caravans on roads. You will find that there is a great deal of information on the web, much of it is contradictory. The best thing to do is to contact your local council and local Highways Agency. They will be able to provide you with relevant local information and any applicable by laws in the area.

Ultimately parking a caravan on the road is not an ideal situation. You may find that you cannot park your caravan in your drive due to restrictive covenants on the deeds of your house. If you are unsure then you should seek advice from your solicitor. The best solutions to caravan storage are to keep your caravan out of sight and protected from thieves and weather in a garage or in a specifically designed caravan storage park.