Sometimes laws and regulations are hardly well thought out at all and seem to be created by politicians who are completely divorced from the real world. According to a new pressure group recently launched in Ealing, that's exactly the case with the Ealing driveway crossover / dropped kerb restriction. They've decided to take it to social media and the press and demand the restrictions are modified to something more sensible.

1 man in particular Mohamed Alwakeel (the spokesperson for the new group) refuses to implement a dropped curb on his property for his driveway until such time as this draconian policy is reviewed through Public Consultation, rather than the closed committees that usually decide on this policy.

Mohamed has good ground to believe that his rights under the European Convention on Human Rights under article article 8 have been infringed by the pointless Council Policy. Beurocrats will tell you the policy is related to pedestrian safety as well as the look of the street, yet ask any member of the public and they will tell you they have never heard of anyone being hurt due to the pavement being dropped. Mohamed strongly believes this policy should be dictated by public consulatation not meetings behind closed doors. Mohamed's next door neighbour has a dropped curb over 5 metres, yet no one has ever complained about it, or been hurt by it.

Currently the maximum allocation for a single dropped kerb is 2.4m and 1 per household, irrespective of other factors. The pressure group would like to see this changed to the 4.8 metres which is what the council would seize on the public road in order for allocation of 1 parking bay, be it for parking permit or disability etc. Anything less is quite ridiculous. There should not be 1 rule for the council paying public and 1 rule for council beurocrats who wish to seize land on the public road.

Brent, a neighboring council for example has a maximum allocation of 4.8 for dropped curb and will even consider granting 2 dropped curbs if your home is wide enough, this is a much more reasonable policy.

The group plans on continuing to voice their opinion until a change comes in effect.

For more information or to join visit https://www.facebook.com/ealingcrossover.