On-street parking control signs and road markings

Waiting restrictions

Waiting restrictions are indicated by signs and road markings. The restrictions usually apply to the whole of the highway, including verges and footways. Drivers may stop to pick up or set down passengers and, where not prohibited, to load and unload. Disabled badge holders can usually park for up to 3 hours or, in Scotland, without a time limit (see The Blue Badge Scheme: Rights and Responsibilities in England published by the Department for Transport, and Rights and Responsibilities of a Blue Badge Holder in Scotland published by Transport Scotland).

Yellow lines along the edge of the carriageway, parallel to the kerb, indicate that restrictions are in force. In environmentally sensitive areas, a pale shade of yellow may be used and the width of the lines may be reduced. Except in controlled parking zones, small yellow plates are normally erected adjacent to the carriageway to give details of the times of operation of the restrictions. Where the yellow plate does not indicate the days of the week, the restrictions apply at the same times every day, including Sunday. If a bank holiday falls on a day when the restrictions are in operation, the restrictions apply in the normal way unless the plate states that they do not. Special restrictions may apply on days when a large event is being held at a nearby stadium or arena; these will also be shown on the plates.

Loading restrictions

Where loading restrictions apply in addition to waiting restrictions (‘loading’ means both loading and unloading), these are indicated by yellow kerb marks and white plates. These plates may be combined with the yellow ‘no waiting’ plates. As the marks are placed intermittently along the kerb, a white plate is normally erected at the first mark (where the loading restriction begins) and may include an arrow indicating the direction along the road in which the loading restriction applies. Where a white plate does not indicate the days of the week, the restrictions apply at the same times every day, including Sunday. If a bank holiday falls on a day when the restrictions are in operation, the restrictions apply in the normal way unless the plate states that they do not.

Special restrictions may apply on days when a large event is being held at a nearby stadium or arena; these will also be shown on the plates. Disabled badge holders may not park when loading restrictions are in force.

Loading prohibited between times shown on the sign.

A double kerb mark means no loading at any time and is normally supplemented by a ‘No loading at any time’ plate. A single kerb mark means that loading is prohibited during the times shown on the associated plate.

No loading at any time throughout the year.

Examples of waiting and loading restriction signs and markings

No waiting at any time during the summer months in the direction of the arrow. No waiting at any time throughout the year in the opposite direction (no yellow plate required). The changeover point is indicated in the carriageway by the transverse mark on the double yellow lines.

No waiting at any time throughout the year in both directions. No loading to the left during the days and times shown. No loading at any time throughout the year in the opposite direction. The white plates with arrows are placed at the changeover point. There is no transverse mark on the double yellow line because the waiting restrictions do not change.

Where 2 signs are side by side, they may be separate as shown above, combined as shown below or placed in a rectangular arrangement.

No waiting and loading to the left during morning and evening peak hours on the days shown. No waiting and loading to the right from morning to evening on the days shown. The changeover point for the waiting restrictions is shown by the transverse mark on the single yellow line. The times shown for peak periods and daytime restrictions may vary.

No waiting to the left during the days and times indicated. Loading is permitted at all times in this direction. Waiting and loading prohibited to the right at all times throughout the year. As the double kerb mark has only one meaning, the bottom white panel may be omitted.

The prohibition of waiting shown on the upper yellow panel on the plate applies in both directions. The prohibition of loading shown on the lower white panel of the plate applies only in the direction of the arrow. In the other direction, loading is permitted at all times. The arrow applies only to the white panel on which it is placed, not to the whole plate. There is no transverse mark on the single yellow line because the waiting restrictions do not change.

The prohibition of waiting shown on the yellow plate applies in both directions. No loading to the left during morning and evening peak hours on the days shown. No loading to the right from morning to evening on the days shown. The white plates with arrows are placed at the changeover point. There is no transverse mark on the single yellow line because the waiting restrictions do not change. The times shown for peak periods and daytime restrictions may vary.

Where there are 2 or more signs, these may be separate as shown above, combined as shown below or placed in a rectangular arrangement.

No waiting to the left during morning and evening peak hours. No waiting to the right from morning to evening on the days shown. No loading during morning and evening peak hours in both directions. The changeover point for the waiting restrictions is shown by the transverse mark on the single yellow line.

On-street parking places

On-street parking places may be designated for a particular class of vehicle (e.g. solo motorcycles) or for a particular user (e.g. permit holders or disabled badge holders). Parking may be free or paid for (e.g. ‘pay and display’ or ‘pay by phone’ or parking meters). There may be a time limit on the period of stay and a minimum time before returning to a particular parking place. Some bays may be designated for use by more than one class of vehicle or user, either at the same time or at different times during the day.

Bays are generally marked in white and are either continuous or divided into individual spaces. A bay may also be indicated by block paving or a change in surfacing colour instead of white lines. Bays may include adjacent words indicating the use of the bay (e.g. ‘DISABLED’). The marks and gaps forming the boundary may be any length and may be a continuous line. The double line at the end of a bay with individual spaces is being phased out and replaced by a single broken or continuous white line.

Upright signs are normally erected adjacent to the carriageway to give details of the parking controls. Where a sign does not indicate the days of the week, the restrictions apply at the same times on every day, including Sunday. Where the time of day is not shown, the controls apply for 24 hours. If a bank holiday falls on a day when the controls are in operation, the controls apply in the normal way unless the sign states that they do not. Special controls may apply on days when a large event is being held at a nearby stadium or arena; these will also be shown on the signs. An upright sign may be omitted when a bay marking indicates a single restriction operating at all times.

Edge of carriageway

Parking bay with individual spaces (parallel to the kerb).

Parking bay with individual spaces (echelon).

Continuous parking bay adjacent to the kerb (words may be added outside the bay to describe the type of parking).

Continuous parking bay in the centre of the carriageway (the words are omitted where there is no restriction on the type of user).

The above signs indicate free on-street parking places reserved at all times, with no time limit, for particular classes of vehicles. Other signs may indicate more specific parking controls.

Temporary sign suspending a parking or loading bay to enable works to be carried out.

Some residential streets, particularly culs-de-sac, which are reserved for permit holder parking only may not have any signs or bay markings within them, except possibly for a few repeater plates. A sign at the entrance to the street will indicate that parking is for permit holders only.

Where parking-place controls do not operate at all times, any vehicle may park in the bay without payment or time limit unless other restrictions are indicated on the signs.

Parking bays may be reserved for more than one type of user – at the same time, at different times, or a combination of both.

Parking on verge and footway

Although vehicles should not be parked on verges and footways (it is unlawful in London, in some other cities and generally throughout Scotland), this may be allowed on certain narrow streets where parked vehicles would not obstruct pedestrians. There are special signs to indicate footway parking. There may also be white bays indicating where parking is permitted. Where there are controls applying to the parking place, such as pay and display, these should be indicated by separate signs.

Loading bays and loading areas

Special loading bays may be provided along with parking bays, or in areas where waiting and loading are otherwise prohibited. The bays may be reserved for use by goods vehicles (where indicated on signs) or may be used by all vehicles, e.g. outside shops where heavy purchases have to be carried to a car. However, these bays should not be used prior to making the purchase, but only for collection of pre-paid items when they are too large or heavy to carry to where the car is parked. Once loading is complete, the vehicle must leave the bay. Some loading bays may be used for other purposes at different times of the day. For example, the bay may be reserved for disabled badge holders during the day and for loading during early morning and late afternoon. In such cases, the bay will not be marked ‘LOADING ONLY’; it is therefore important to read the upright signs to see who can use the bay at certain times of day. There may be times, such as morning and evening peak periods, when loading is not permitted. In such cases, there will be a single yellow line running through the bay and single ‘no loading’ marks on the kerb. The length of the white marks and gaps forming the boundary of a loading bay no longer have fixed sizes. The boundary may be formed by a continuous white line. A loading bay may also be indicated by coloured surfacing or block paving instead of white lines.

Off-highway areas may be designated ‘loading areas’ where waiting is restricted except by permitted vehicles. Signs are used without road markings to indicate this.

Controlled parking zones

Some areas are designated as controlled parking zones. The entry sign indicates the times when waiting is prohibited. The yellow lines within the zone do not normally have yellow plates indicating the times of the prohibition unless the times are different from those shown on the entry sign. It is therefore important to note the times shown when entering the zone. If there is no lower panel showing days and times, the zone operates at all times. If loading is prohibited at the same time as the waiting prohibition, the entry sign should include the words ‘No loading’ at the bottom of the upper panel. The zone is likely to include parking places and loading bays. Some parking places may be for permit holders only, others for general use. The times when these operate should be shown on the signs at the bays; these times may not be the same as those shown on the zone entry sign. Where the majority of on-street parking within the zone is pay and display, the heading on the entry sign may say ‘Pay and Display ZONE’ instead of ‘Controlled ZONE’.

Other headings might be ‘Meter ZONE’ where there are parking meters, or ‘Disc ZONE’ where a parking disc showing the time of arrival has to be displayed on the vehicle when parking. The entry sign to a pre-paid voucher parking zone includes the voucher logo.

In some areas, local authorities operate special goods vehicle waiting restrictions. Usually these apply to goods vehicles of over 5 or 7.5 tonnes maximum gross weight. Where the same restrictions apply throughout a zone, usually overnight, the times are indicated on a zone entry sign. Within the zone there are no yellow lines (unless there are other waiting restrictions applying to all vehicles), but there should be repeater signs on each side of every street as a reminder. There are equivalent signs for buses with the bus symbol, and signs that apply to both goods vehicles and buses.

Restricted parking zones

In some environmentally sensitive areas, where waiting and loading restrictions are uniform, they may be indicated by upright repeater signs, but not yellow lines and kerb marks. These are known as restricted parking zones. The zone entry sign indicates the times when waiting and loading are prohibited. Where parking and loading are permitted, usually in signed bays, this should be indicated on the entry signs. The bays within the zone may be fully marked in the conventional manner or indicated by other means such as a change in surface materials. Upright signs will give details about the use of the bays.

Provision may be made for parking and loading within a zone, with bays being delineated either by white road markings or by physical features, such as block paving, planters or bollards. As well as normal parking bay signs, these examples may be seen where the operational times are different from those of the whole zone.

Clearways

The red cross means no stopping, not even to pick up or set down passengers. The sign is used to indicate a 24-hour clearway (usually on a rural road) or may be incorporated into other signs with the words ‘No stopping’ (e.g. the ‘no stopping except local buses’ sign at bus stops). On a 24-hour clearway, the prohibition of stopping applies to the main running carriageway, slip roads and any acceleration and deceleration areas. You may stop in a lay-by unless there are signs to say otherwise. A 24-hour clearway does not have any special road markings, but smaller repeater signs might be provided at intervals along the road as a reminder to drivers.

Yellow zig-zag markings outside schools, hospitals or fire, police or ambulance stations indicate the length of road where you should not stop, not even to pick up or set down children or other passengers. Where there is an upright sign, there is a mandatory prohibition of stopping during the times shown. These markings are provided outside schools to ensure that children can see and be seen clearly when crossing the road.

Red routes

On red routes, yellow waiting restriction lines are replaced by red lines that mean no stopping for any purpose, not even to pick up or set down passengers, other than by a licensed taxi. A driver of a vehicle displaying a disabled badge may stop to pick up or set down a disabled person, but must not park.

The prohibition of stopping applies to the whole road, including the verge and footway, during the times shown on upright signs that face oncoming traffic. Special bays marked on the carriageway may be provided for parking or loading; the conditions that apply to these will be indicated on upright signs that should also face oncoming traffic.

Where a taxi rank is provided on a red route, the broad yellow line is replaced by a single or double red line as appropriate. Upright ‘red route’ signs will indicate the times when stopping is prohibited. Where the bay is used by other vehicles at other times, red route bay markings will be provided.

Licensed taxis may pick up or set down passengers at bus stops on a red route where there is a double red line or a broad continuous yellow line, but not if the broad line is red. Drivers of vehicles displaying a disabled badge are not permitted to stop for any purpose in a bus stop bay where there is either a broad yellow or broad red line. The broad yellow line is to be phased out on red routes and replaced by either a double red line, a single red line or a broad red line as appropriate.

Some red routes have upright signs without any road markings. These are designated ‘RED ROUTE CLEARWAYS’, where stopping for any purpose is prohibited at all times, except in marked lay-bys. Unlike the 24-hour clearway on rural roads, stopping on a red route clearway is prohibited on the verge and footway as well as on the main carriageway. Signs are usually repeated throughout the length of the clearway.

Taxi ranks

Taxi ranks usually have yellow bays marked with the word ‘TAXIS’. Where the bay is used as a parking or loading bay at a different time of day, a white bay without any words is provided. Either waiting or stopping will be prohibited within a taxi rank. Where stopping is prohibited, the taxi rank includes a broad continuous yellow line at the edge of the carriageway. Yellow ‘no waiting’ lines are provided within a yellow taxi rank where waiting is also prohibited at other times. Yellow upright signs show the times when waiting or stopping is prohibited in the rank.

E-taxi ranks

At locations where taxi ranks are reserved for the sole use of electric taxis, bays are marked with the legend ‘E-TAXIS’ and a yellow upright sign.