Waikato Police say they would prefer paperboys- and girls delivered the news, not made it, after a man was stopped driving his car on the footpath in Hamilton early this morning.

District Road Policing Manager, Inspector Freda Grace, says the car was stopped on the footpath next to River Rd, near the intersection with Piako Rd about 4.10am.

"It's hard to say who was the most surprised when a member of one of our Public Safety Teams stopped the car, the driver who thought it was OK to drive on the footpath or the officer when the man actually asked if he was going to get a ticket?

"Driving a car on the footpath or on someone's front lawn is far from OK, not only is it extremely dangerous its selfish in that it puts those people who see the footpath as a place of safety at risk."

Mrs Grace says at a time when the Waikato road toll is nine higher than the same period last year police wanted the community to join with them making the District's roads a safer place to be.

"And moving your car to the footpath is not in anyway associated with driving safely. Frequently we get property owners complaining about ruts and tyre marks cutting up their front lawns and after seeing the image taken from this morning's incident it's no wonder.

"With the exception of posties, people pushing prams or driving mobility scooters we would ask that people keep wheels to the road and feet to the footpath."

Source: Waikato Police.