Traffic Signs & Lines

Traffic signs’ plating and road markings

Confusing traffic signs

Above: Some signs are so confusing that even the council’s don’t understand them. The above sign is illegal. The section with the orange background is wrong and should read the same hours as the loading section below. Otherwise the sign is telling you to pay and display at a time when it is also telling you that you cannot wait!

Confusing signs - No details for Sunday parking

Watch out for signs like this. They are confusing as it looks like you can park on a Sunday but actually the absence of Mon – Sat on the yellow section means that parking restrictions apply on every day.

Confusing signs

You almost need a degree in traffic management to understand signs like this. Basically what it means is that:

Between 7pm and 7am you can park and load for free.
Between 7am and 10 am and 4pm and 7pm you cannot park (wait) or load even if you pay.
Between 10am and 4 pm you can park but you must pay and display. You can also load. However you must have vacated the space before 4pm!

Westminster Car Club Parking Bay Signage

The sign on this bay in Westminster says you can pay and display but the road marking says car club vehicles only!

One of the main complaints that we receive is that of incorrect missing or indeed inadequate signage. The government has recognised this too. Many appeals are won on the basis of incorrect markings or signage. Quite simply restrictions are legally unenforceable if the signs are missing, incorrect, wrongly orientated obscured or not on both sides of the road. Likewise missing, faded or incorrect road markings make restrictions unenforceable.

Details of the signs and lines required for all contraventions are set out on the individual pages for each contravention.

The statutory guidance issued to all local authorities by the department of transport states:-

Clause 2.12:

“The restrictions need to be made clear to motorists through appropriate and legal traffic signs and road markings.”

“A flawed or inadequately signed order may be unenforceable and can significantly damage both the aims of enforcement and the public perception of its management.”

You need to be logged in to see this part of the content.

Please [ Login ] or [ Register ]. Get the information to appeal against your PCN!

@ 2019 PenaltyChargeNotice.co.uk

1. Parked in a restricted street during prescribed hours
2. Parked or loading / unloading in a restricted street where waiting and loading / unloading restrictions are in force
4. Parked in a meter bay when penalty time is indicated
5. Parked after the expiry of paid for time
6. Parked without clearly displaying a valid pay & display ticket or voucher
7. Parked with payment made to extend the stay beyond initial time
8. Parked at an out-of-order meter during controlled hours
9. Parked displaying multiple pay and display tickets where prohibited.
11. Parked without payment of the parking charge
12. Parked in a residents’ or shared use parking place or zone without a valid virtual permit or clearly displaying a valid physical permit or voucher or pay and display ticket issued for that place where required, or without payment of the parking charge
14. Parked in an electric vehicles’ charging place during restricted hours without charging
16. Parked in a permit space or zone without a valid virtual permit or clearly displaying a valid physical permit where required.
19. Parked in a residents' or shared use parking place or zone with an invalid virtual permit or displaying an invalid physical permit or voucher or pay and display ticket, or after the expiry of paid for time
20. Parked in a part of a parking place marked by a yellow line where waiting is prohibited - a loading gap
21. Parked wholly or partly in a suspended bay or space.
22. Re-parked in the same parking place or zone within one hour after leaving.
23. Parked in a parking place or area not designated for that class of vehicle
24. Not parked correctly within the markings of the bay or space
25. Parked in a loading place or bay during restricted hours without loading
26. Parked in a special enforcement area more than 50 cm from the edge of the carriageway and not within a designated parking place
27. Parked in a special enforcement area adjacent to a footway, cycle track or verge lowered to meet the level of the carriageway
28. Parked in a special enforcement area on part of the carriageway raised to meet the level of a footway, cycle track or verge.
29. Failing to comply with a one-way restriction
30. Parked for longer than permitted
31. Entering and stopping in a box junction when prohibited
32. Failing to proceed in the direction shown by the arrow on a blue sign
33. Using a route restricted to certain vehicles
34. Being in a bus lane
37. Failing to give way to oncoming vehicles
38. Failing to comply with a sign indicating that vehicular traffic must pass to the specified side of the sign
40. Parked in a designated disabled person’s parking place without displaying a valid disabled person’s badge in the prescribed manner.
45. Stopped on a taxi rank
46. Stopped where prohibited (on a red route or clearway)
47. Stopped on a restricted bus stop or stand
48. Stopped in a restricted area outside a school, a hospital or a fire, police or ambulance station when prohibited.
50. Performing a prohibited turn
51. Failing to comply with a no entry restriction
52. Failing to comply with a prohibition on certain types of vehicle
53. Failing to comply with a restriction on vehicles entering a pedestrian zone
54. Failing to comply with a restriction on vehicles entering and waiting in a pedestrian zone
62. Parked with one or more wheels on or over a footpath or any part of a road other than a carriageway.
99. Stopped on a pedestrian crossing or crossing area marked by zigzags

1. Parked in a restricted street during prescribed hours
2. Parked or loading / unloading in a restricted street where waiting and loading / unloading restrictions are in force
4. Parked in a meter bay when penalty time is indicated
5. Parked after the expiry of paid for time
6. Parked without clearly displaying a valid pay & display ticket or voucher
7. Parked with payment made to extend the stay beyond initial time
8. Parked at an out-of-order meter during controlled hours
9. Parked displaying multiple pay and display tickets where prohibited.
11. Parked without payment of the parking charge
12. Parked in a residents’ or shared use parking place or zone without a valid virtual permit or clearly displaying a valid physical permit or voucher or pay and display ticket issued for that place where required, or without payment of the parking charge
14. Parked in an electric vehicles’ charging place during restricted hours without charging
16 Parked in a permit space or zone without a valid virtual permit or clearly displaying a valid physical permit where required.
19. Parked in a residents' or shared use parking place or zone with an invalid virtual permit or displaying an invalid physical permit or voucher or pay and display ticket, or after the expiry of paid for time
20. Parked in a part of a parking place marked by a yellow line where waiting is prohibited - a loading gap
21 Parked wholly or partly in a suspended bay or space.
22. Re-parked in the same parking place or zone within one hour after leaving.
23. Parked in a parking place or area not designated for that class of vehicle
24. Not parked correctly within the markings of the bay or space
25. Parked in a loading place or bay during restricted hours without loading
26. Parked in a special enforcement area more than 50 cm from the edge of the carriageway and not within a designated parking place
27. Parked in a special enforcement area adjacent to a footway, cycle track or verge lowered to meet the level of the carriageway
28. Parked in a special enforcement area on part of the carriageway raised to meet the level of a footway, cycle track or verge.
40. Parked in a designated disabled person’s parking place without displaying a valid disabled person’s badge in the prescribed manner.
45. Stopped on a taxi rank
46. Stopped where prohibited (on a red route or clearway)
47. Stopped on a restricted bus stop or stand
48. Stopped in a restricted area outside a school, a hospital or a fire, police or ambulance station when prohibited.
62. Parked with one or more wheels on or over a footpath or any part of a road other than a carriageway.
99. Stopped on a pedestrian crossing or crossing area marked by zigzags