Verge and footway parking

Responsibility for Verges

• Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) is the local Highway Authority and manages most grass verges across the borough.
• Contact Hertfordshire County Council's highways department for verge maintenance issues.

Verge and Footway Prohibition Orders (VFPOs)

• VFPOs restrict parking on verges, footways, vehicle crossovers, and green areas.
• Indicated by yellow signs stating: “At any time on verge or footway.”
• Restrictions apply at all times.
• Civil Enforcement Officers will issue a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) to vehicles parked on a public verge or footway in VFPO areas.

Important: VFPOs do not prevent driving over a verge or footway—only parking on them.

Check if your road has a VFPO

• Use links below to check if your road is covered by a VFPO or scheduled for future introduction.
• If your road is not listed, you can request it is considered for a future parking consultation.

Blue Badge Holders

• May park on vehicle crossovers for up to 3 hours.

Contact for VFPO Enforcement

• Please see Report a vehicle parked in contravention – Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council

Parking on Footways (Non-VFPO Areas)

• Parking on a public footway is not specifically banned unless adjacent to yellow lines during enforcement times.

Reporting Vehicles on Verges without VFPO

• A bye-law exists to reduce grass verge damage by preventing cars from parking on them.
• Enforcement only applies if an officer witnesses someone driving onto the verge to park.
• To report:
  • Email contact-whc@welhat.gov.uk with:
    • Vehicle registration
    • Exact location
    • Photo showing registration and vehicle on verge
    • Date and time of incident
• Take care when photographing vehicles.