May have been the case the saloon car was there first and the van filled the remaining gap on the pavement. Whatever the case, it's getting worse it seems, this pavement parking. It's like the police and the councils won't go to certain areas to check these things out for fear of being branded (dot dot dot). Want an example? Try Alum Rock in Birmingham... it's a literal free-for-all. Pavement parking? No problem. Double parking? Hey come on in. Screeching tires and horns? More the merrier apparently. Literal car-park/drift area but hey like I said, where certain angels fear to tread so nothing to see here....!
Total disregard for pedestrians blocking the pavement.