Medway residents cannot apply to suspend parking bays when moving house

Moving house in Chatham, Rochester, Gillingham, Strood or Rainham? You can’t apply in your own name to suspend a parking bay outside your home — not even on moving day itself. According to Medway Council, the ban covers all private residents, whether they’re in a controlled parking zone or a residents’ bay.

The council’s advice is to have a word with your neighbours beforehand and ask them to leave nearby bays clear on the day. According to the council, residents can actively load and unload for a reasonable period under existing loading rights, and the council takes the view there’s no real need to pay for a formal suspension just to shift your worldly goods. But goodwill isn’t legally enforceable. And if a neighbour’s car is sitting exactly where you need your removal lorry, the council can’t touch it.

The reason residents are shut out comes down to insurance, according to Medway Council. Suspending a bay requires the applicant to hold valid Public Liability Insurance — cover that protects against claims for injury or property damage within the suspended area. Most people moving house simply don’t have that.

There’s a catch even for those who can apply. According to the council, a Penalty Charge Notice can be issued for any vehicle blocking a suspended bay, but the council has no power to physically remove it. You can fine it. You can’t shift it.

According to Medway Council, removals contractors can apply on a resident’s behalf, provided they hold suitable insurance and meet all the other requirements. That’ll cost £50 per bay, per day — and applications must go in at least 10 days before the move.

Key information

• Residents cannot apply for a parking bay suspension in their own name in Medway
• Removals contractors can apply on a resident’s behalf if they hold valid Public Liability Insurance
• Cost: £50 per bay, per day; minimum 10 days’ notice required before the move date