PPC124 | BUSINESS

For most pest control technicians, the van is effectively a mobile office, equipment store and workshop rolled into one.

Whether you’re carrying ladders, bait boxes, proofing materials, application equipment or PPE, being able to park reasonably close to a customer’s property can make a big difference to the job. Unfortunately, finding somewhere suitable isn’t always straightforward, particularly on residential streets, in city centres or around blocks of flats.

Nobody wants to finish a difficult job only to discover a parking ticket tucked under the windscreen wiper. So, before you head to a new site, it’s worth understanding the main parking rules for vans and commercial vehicles.

Parking vans in residential areas

In most cases, you can park a van outside a customer’s property in much the same way as you would park a car. The important thing is to make sure you’re parked legally, safely, and without creating an unnecessary obstruction.

Where possible, the Highway Code advises drivers to use off-street parking or marked parking bays.

If you do have to stop on the roadside, you should park close to the side of the road and avoid parking against the direction of traffic. Take particular care not to stop too close to a vehicle displaying a Blue Badge, as the occupant may need additional room to get in or out.

When leaving your vehicle, switch off the engine, headlights and fog lights, apply the handbrake and make sure the van is secure.

And before opening the door, check carefully for cyclists, motorcyclists and other road users. That’s particularly worth remembering when you’re concentrating on getting equipment out of the back of the van rather than what’s approaching from behind.

Asking your customer about parking when the job is booked can save a lot of trouble. They may have a driveway, visitor permit or allocated parking space you can use, or know about restrictions that aren’t immediately obvious when you arrive.

Where you shouldn’t park

There are plenty of places where parking is restricted or prohibited. Among other restrictions, you must not stop or park:

• On a motorway carriageway, emergency area or hard shoulder except in an emergency
• On a pedestrian crossing or its zigzag markings
• In a taxi bay
• On an urban clearway during its hours of operation, except where permitted to pick up or set down passengers
• In a tram or cycle lane during its period of operation
• On a cycle track
• In spaces reserved for particular users, unless you’re entitled to use them
• On red lines unless signs specifically allow it.

Double yellow lines mean waiting is prohibited at any time, although loading and unloading may sometimes still be permitted unless separate loading restrictions apply.

Single yellow lines operate during the times shown on nearby signs or on the signs at the entrance to a controlled parking zone.

You also need to think about whether the van itself could create a danger or obstruction. Parking close to a junction, across an entrance or somewhere that leaves other vehicles struggling to pass could cause problems even where there isn’t an obvious yellow line telling you not to stop.

Pavement parking is prohibited in London and Scotland, subject to limited exceptions. Elsewhere, the Highway Code says you should not park partially or wholly on the pavement unless signs permit it. For pest professionals working in unfamiliar towns and cities, the simplest rule is not to rely on assumptions. Check the road markings and signs when you arrive.

Loading and unloading your equipment

Pest management vans can carry a fair amount of kit, so being able to stop near a property to unload can be important.

Loading and unloading may sometimes be allowed in places where ordinary parking is restricted. However, don’t load or unload where yellow markings on the kerb and nearby signs show that loading restrictions are in force.

On red routes, specially marked and signposted bays show where and when loading is permitted.

Local authorities and private estates can also impose their own parking arrangements, so check the signs carefully.

Remember that loading means you’re genuinely moving goods or equipment to or from the vehicle. It isn’t simply a convenient way of describing leaving the van outside while you carry out a two-hour treatment.

If you regularly work at a commercial site, housing block or other location where access is difficult, it’s worth discussing parking arrangements with the customer before the contract starts.

Parking your van at night

There are additional rules to consider if you leave your van on the road overnight.

You must not park on a road at night facing against the direction of the traffic flow unless you’re in a recognised parking space.

All vehicles must also display parking lights when parked on a road or lay-by where the speed limit is greater than 30mph.

Vehicle weight matters too. Cars and goods vehicles not exceeding 2,500kg laden weight can normally be parked without lights on a road with a speed limit of 30mph or less, provided they are at least 10 metres from a junction, close to the kerb and facing in the direction of traffic or are parked in a recognised parking place or lay-by.

Other vehicles and trailers, including goods vehicles over that weight, must not be left on a road at night without lights.

If you take your company van home, it’s therefore worth knowing its maximum laden weight rather than assuming the same rules apply to every van.

Parking in fog

The Highway Code advises avoiding parking on the road in fog wherever possible. If you have no choice, leave your parking lights or sidelights on, so the vehicle is visible to other road users.

For technicians who can find themselves travelling early in the morning or late at night, particularly in rural areas, it’s a small point worth remembering.

Parking on a hill

Take a few sensible precautions when parking on a hill. Park close to the kerb and apply the handbrake firmly.

If you’re facing uphill, select a forward gear and turn the steering wheel away from the kerb. If you’re facing downhill, select reverse gear and turn the wheel towards the kerb. For an automatic vehicle, use the ‘park’ setting.

It might sound basic, but a fully loaded pest control van is something you definitely don’t want developing a mind of its own halfway through a callout.

Parking your van at home

If you keep your work van at home, tell your insurer and make sure your policy covers where you normally keep the vehicle.

If it’s a company vehicle, check your employer’s policy too.

Even if you have your own driveway, the property deeds or tenancy agreement may occasionally restrict commercial vehicles.

If you park on the road, check whether local permit schemes limit commercial vehicles. Some councils set restrictions based on factors such as a vehicle’s height, length or weight.

There’s also the neighbour test. Your parking might be perfectly legal but still annoying if a large van permanently blocks someone’s light or makes it difficult for them to see when pulling off their drive. A little consideration can prevent a parking issue turning into a much bigger neighbourhood dispute.

What if you receive a parking ticket?

Coming back to the van and finding a penalty charge notice is never a great end to the working day. If you believe the ticket has been issued incorrectly, you have the right to challenge it.

Keep anything that might support your case, including photographs of signs and road markings, details of where the van was parked and evidence that you were legitimately loading or unloading if that is relevant.

The process for challenging a ticket depends on who issued it, so follow the instructions on the notice carefully and meet any deadlines.

Better still, spend an extra minute checking the restrictions before you start unloading. It could save considerably more time later.

BPCA member benefit

Stand out with Which? Trusted Traders 
BPCA members can access a preferential offer from Which? Trusted Traders, giving professional pest management businesses another way to demonstrate their credentials to potential customers.

Businesses applying to the scheme go through the Which? Trusted Traders assessment process and, once endorsed, can use the Which? Trusted Traders logo, build customer reviews and create a profile to help customers find their business. BPCA members can receive 50% off their monthly Which? Trusted Traders membership fee for the first six months. bpca.org.uk/which