# Washing Vehicles - Illegal?



## rraf

Hi all!
I was discussing the other day about one of our neighbours who insists on washing his car on the road [rather than mess his tarmac driveway] and someone commented that it might be illegal to wash your vehicle on a public road.
I know it is illegal in Germany but can anyone advise on this topic with regards to the U.K.?

Thanks

Lynne


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## locovan

I have heard this before --Check with you local Council and see if it is in any bye laws for your town.


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## GerryD

There was something mentioned a long time ago, but is it really worth creating a fuss over something so minor?
Strictly speaking it is illegal to park your car in the street unless it is in a specifically designated bay.
Gerry


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## rraf

GerryD said:


> There was something mentioned a long time ago, but is it really worth creating a fuss over something so minor?
> Strictly speaking it is illegal to park your car in the street unless it is in a specifically designated bay.
> Gerry


Why is asking a simple question "creating a fuss"? I was only asking here, as amongst the wealth of knowledge on the forum,someone may have known the answer straight away but instead I receive your antagonistic reply.Cheers!

Thank you Mavis for your reply. :wink:


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## Penquin

I have never been challenged about it but reading through Google selections it does count as effluent and if it was from a trade establishment then must be connected to mains drainage with approval from the water company ! (WOW! ) 

I suspect if someone was feeling very anti they could complain as it does impinge highway safety since it obviously makes it more slippery, but I have never heard of anyone being tackled over it.  

Checking with council might get a reply but they may well never have thought about it either! :lol: 

Dave


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## clodhopper2006

I wonder if it's worse than, the same as or better than opening your grey water valve when you get home?


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## rraf

We always wash our vehicles on our driveway but many people do not have drives so if you are not allowed to wash your vehicle in the road,it would cause a bit of a problem.
I recently went to refuel at our local Tesco and noticed a new sign had been put up in the entrance to the car wash stating that no large vehicles,off road vehicles or heavily soiled vehilces may enter the facility.I have seen many Motorhomes with excess mud on their wheels after settling over night on a soft ground.Does this mean we are unable to wash our MH's in a car wash?Referring back to my original ask,there seems nowhere in that case to clean a motorhome.


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## weldted

*car washing*

there is nothing wrong with posing a question to find out information and yet again we have people projecting the negative. If I want to know some information but when I ask the question, the reply is, it worth making a fuss about? It may stop some people using the forum for fear of being rubbished. Ask away and ignore those who in light of being unable to offer help or advice devalue the question not forgeting that everyone has a right to their opinion. As far asI am aware any such process that involves commercial gain ie a car wash has to have a catchment tank that filters the water from the washing process and the water that goes into the public sewer is treated as trade effluent waste and is charged accordingly and the system has to be passed by defra. Washing a car on a public highway is technicaly an offence it is buried in the road traffic act somewhere, and sometimes asking the local council brings up the question if you don't think you may like the answer don't ask the question.


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## clodhopper2006

Wasn't GerryD just usinga figure of speech? That's how I read it. Where's all this talk about scaring people off the forum coming from? Touchy or what?


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## arh

Do I take it that all these "hand car wash" places that have sprung up all over the country have had a "catchment tank" put in before they started up. :roll: Idon't think so, :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## rraf

clodhopper2006 said:


> Wasn't GerryD just usinga figure of speech? That's how I read it. Where's all this talk about scaring people off the forum coming from? Touchy or what?


I don't think anyone is being "touchy".I understood Gerry's comments as belittling my question.I think it was a decent enough question that warranted a decent reply.If the question was not worth "creating a fuss" about,then I would like to ask where in the scale of importance does the question about Squirrels that was posted on the forum come?Granted it was posted in an off topic but at least my question was vehicle related.

Do unto others as you would wish them do unto you!


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## ardgour

The guy down the road who has a couple of expensive 4x4s washes them on the road using a powerwasher because he doesn't want to mess up his block paved driveway! I'd be delighted if someone told him it was illegal.
On a more serious note, the place where hubby rents a flat in northern Italy does not allow car washing but there is a very good self-service car washing place a mile or so away where you can wash and wax a car or motorhome for 2 euros if you are canny about how you do it. Don't know what the stuff is but the car and van have never looked so good. 

Chris


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## rraf

Living in a rural area,we end with loads of excess soil from people washing their vehicles in the road gutters here(even though we all have drives to hold several vehicles).Although our council send road cleaners and drain cleaning lorries around here frequently,in places where they are unable to reach,you do see that the build up of soil from car washing (and drive cleaning I might add) encourages grass to grow in the gutter.


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## Spacerunner

GerryD said:


> Strictly speaking it is illegal to park your car in the street unless it is in a specifically designated bay.
> Gerry


Not quite. Its just that no one has the legal *right* to park in the roadway outside their home. Slightly different emphasis.

In a small village in France I noticed that they had a public vehicle wash facility. You just drove in put a few euros in the machine and enjoyed a lancet type wash. Cost depended on how long you used the wash. Brilliant idea and one I would use.


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## Codfinger

*wash vehicles on road*

Yup its illegal to wash vehicles out on the public highway, we had a problem with the countyl council who sent us a letter threatening legal action as they said we were allowing surface water to come from our property onto the public highway, we had a site meeting with them to clarify the situation as we have spring water coming thro from next doors onto our drive then out into the road.
The council stated that nothing is permited to run onto the road and yes no washing of vehicles either, they also said that all drives should have a gulley to prevent surface water exiting onto the highway but it would seem that this is not enforced YET !!!

chris


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## GerryD

The reason that I said "Is it worth making a fuss?" is that normally the only reason for asking for such information is to use it against somone else. I just happen to think that life is difficult enough these days without having to pull anyone to task over such a minor issue.
Gerry


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## Blizzard

Certainly my local authority don't enforce such legislation, if in fact it is legislation in this area.

Sunday morning ritual around here and as my driveway slopes towards my house and away from the road, any excess water ends up around the foundations, so my cars are always pulled out onto the street for washing to allow the water to run down a drain situated just outside my address. 

I'm in the process of arranging block paving to replace my current (tatty) driveway and I'm getting drainage channels fitted to stop water reaching the house.

I'll probably wash the cars on the driveway at that point.


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## DTPCHEMICALS

Whatever I wash on my drive the water ends up going onto the main road.
Our drive slopes down to the road, which is also on a hill.

There must be tons of my gravel drive in the gulleys.. especially when it rains heavy.

Dave p


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## weldted

*car washing*

most of the (new) cars wash sites are on old petrol stations where the system is already in place to prevent any fuel spillage from entering the sewers!!


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## locovan

432 ROAD TRAFFIC AND VEHICLES ... a) consumption of alcohol; or (b) sleeping or camping; or (c) eating or cooking; or (d) servicing or washing any vehicle or ... 

Google as the link is to long and I dont know how to shorten it only not only are you not to wash vehicles you cant sleep or camp in your M/H on your drive.
There is a rule against everything.


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## Freddiebooks

Does this mean i can't use my tin bath in the street anymore when taking my calender month bath. 

I can't possibly drag the bath full of used water through my garden gate and tip it onto my dandilion patch. 

I honestly think SOME PEOPLE make up these stupid rules without thinking it through properly. 

Where are you supposed to put your bath water if your not allowed to tip it in the street ?

Freddiebaths


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## rraf

GerryD said:


> The reason that I said "Is it worth making a fuss?" is that normally the only reason for asking for such information is to use it against somone else. I just happen to think that life is difficult enough these days without having to pull anyone to task over such a minor issue.
> Gerry


My asking the question was merely and only out of *curiosity* as many people would do on a topic that they were not familiar with.I had tried Google to source an answer as I had never heard of such a law if there was one.Needless to say,I could only get info relevant to other countries.
Despite the misconstrued impression,I had and still have no intention whatsoever in using the information in bringing about a change in a neighbour's car cleaning ritual.I do have other,and better things to focus my attentions on and will not bother you any more with what seems, "concealed" questions.
Please remember that, though someone may ask a question,it does not necessarily mean that they are arming themselves with information for some legal battle.They may afterall, just be inquisitive.Isn't that how we all learn- by asking?


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## waggy3

try local highways department for info.
roy.


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## cabby

I have to pay my local water company for waste water collection and drainage. I wash my vehicles on my drive as it slopes towards the road.
As to asking questions on this site, please do not get upset over answers, they are often missunderstood. :lol: :lol: Maybe the person has been harrassed thenselves on the very subject you mention, but I am not saying they have. I find it very difficult, due to the upbringing I had and my age, to accept the PC world fully.As to health and Safety, just dont get me started. :roll: :roll: 

cabby


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## Freddiebooks

PC..... Health and Safety....

Whatever happened to zero tolerence ? I want to see shoot to kill tactics embraced by all authorities on the water spillage issue.


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## Brock

The Environmental Agency says, "Causing or allowing pollution is a criminal offence. ....Effluent and run-off from vehicle washing and cleaning activities can damage the environment and pollute rivers, streams, burns and groundwater". 

Hence you should not wash your car that enables the water and soap to run off into a storm drain such as that by the side of the road. This water is nor treated and returns to the rivers etc before being collected for us to drink. You should put your waste water into the main sewer where it will be decontaminated. Some storm drains will run into a sewer.

The Environmental Agency recommend using a recognised car wash that recycles the waste water. Many of the hand car washes do not follow the right environmental legislation. 

Whoever is responsible for your sewers has the legal obligation to ensure you comply with the law on pollution or instigate criminal action if you do not.

Still we all do it and probably nobody has been prosecuted for washing their vehicle on the drive at home.


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## Zebedee

Brock said:


> Hence you should not wash your car that enables the water and soap to run off into a storm drain . . .


Hmmmmmm - yes!

But what if half the houses in the road have their foul drains connected into the storm drains - as in our village?

This came to light in the flash floods of 3 or 4 years ago, and the "evidence" was not pleasant!!!

A rhetorical question - no answers required. :wink: 

Dave


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## roamingsue

Is it just me that wants to scream?! 

Have the men with hats taken over??


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## erneboy

Each day society becomes more absolutist. Surely in the scheme of things, under almost all circumstances, where a car is washed is not particularly important. 

If it is illegal for some reason to wash your car that must be for environmental or safety reasons. 

If it is environmental then none of us should wash our cars unless we have made proper arrangements for collection and disposal of the effluent by an approved method. Which begs the question, where does the waste water from your kitchen sink or shower go?

If it is for safety reasons (which frankly seems daft) then only those of us who can produce method statements and risk assessments should wash our cars. These could not be generic documents as many variables would have to be considered.

A discussion like this just would not have taken place a few years ago, where will it end.

This is a tongue in cheek look at the question, but please think about it, Alan.


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## Stanner

It used to be OK to just tip anything you didn't want into any old local river or stream, but for some reason that was stopped - was that just being PC or Health and Safety madness or what.

Does anybody actually know what is in modern detergent car shampoo?

How many dead fish = a clean car?


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## erneboy

Stanner said:


> Does anybody actually know what is in modern detergent car shampoo?
> 
> How many dead fish = a clean car?


Yes Stanner, the manufacturers do and the ingredients are detailed on the packages, any toxic components or irritants requires additional highlighting so that it is clear at a glance.

It would require an industrial spill to cause fish kill. One of my brothers was a scientist for Severn Trent and is now a consultant and has been working in this are for over 30 years. If we really want answers I can ask him, Alan.


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## goldi

Morning all,

I hear that in Singapore you can be fined for having a mucky car !!.





norm


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