Residents living in Newport are wondering if it is legal for homeowners to reserve car parking on their street by putting their council bins in front of their houses on the road.

It seems that although described by many as 'selfish', people who do this feel they need to if they want to park nearby their houses.

It mainly affects residential areas in Newport with terraced houses, such as Cromwell Road in Somerton and Westfield Avenue in Malpas.

Those who live in the streets around Rodney Parade also say they have to do this, "especially on game days where thousands of rugby or football fans make their way to the stadium, otherwise they can not park outside their house."

(Image: Gustav Webber) Though despite understanding circumstantial restrictions, Newport City Council confirmed that you can not reserve any public road space for your exclusive use, even if it's directly outside your property.

Yet this does not apply only to Newport, it is the case UK wide.

As well as this, placing a bin on the road to save a parking space is illegal and is considered an obstruction under the Highways Act.

After seeing the picture posted on a public Facebook group, Ellis Jarvis said, "If you leave your bins out like this on my street I will always move them."

According to the Welsh government, fixed penalties can be issued if wheelie bins are in the wrong place.

Local councils can issue penalties if householders are causing or likely to cause a nuisance or have a negative effect on local amenities.

One of the instances in which penalties can be issued is if a bin "restricts access to the pavement or street, for example leaving waste receptacles (bins or bags) out for several days".