Birmingham Council looks to protect verges with criminal damage law

Mar 13 2009 by Neil Elkes, Birmingham Mail

CITY roads bosses are being urged to consider criminal damage charges against motorists who churn up Birmingham’s grass verges.

Members of the transport scrutiny committee are seeking a way to stop the ‘vandalism’ of the verges after police admitted they only take action against motorists causing an obstruction.

Coun Timothy Huxtable (Cons, Bournville) said: “I don’t think the police response is reasonable. The Criminal Damage Act is applied to graffiti. Why can’t this be applied to parking on grass verges?”