Road Markings/Dashed Yellow Lines

Dashed Yellow verge Lines are used across the country to identify places where parking is restricted at all or certain times. They are accompanied by plates mounted on posts or nearby buildings giving further information on the restrictions in place, whether it is just limited parking at all times, or just certain times. The restriction applies from the centre line of the road to the back of the pavement.

Standard Dashed Yellow Lines are painted quite thickly, however there is also a narrower marking which is allowed to be used in heritage areas where a less visually intrusive marking is desirable. The Lines normally span between Single or Double Yellow Lines, so there are no specific termination marks in most instances.

In the past Dashed Yellow Lines were commonly accompanied by additional yellow lines marked on the kerb, meaning a variety of different restrictions were in place. However, these seem to no longer be in use, with local authorities using plates as described above to provide a clearer definition of the restrictions.

Common Restrictions

Dashed Yellow Lines are normally found in town centre locations, where parking is restricted to a limited time period, from as little as 15 minutes to several hours, and with a prohibition against returning to the same zone within a specified time period, again from 15 minutes up to a couple of hours. The restriction against returning is provided to prevent drivers simply moving to another space across the road once the initial time period expires. However, an important point is that it only applies to the same zone, and there can be a number of neighbouring zones featuring the same restrictions in a town, but there is no indication that a zone has changed, it is only by searching for the original orders for the zones that this can be determined!

Generally speaking these restrictions are only applicable during the working day, say from 8.30am to 5.30pm Monday to Friday, with a free for all outside these times. However, the restrictions can get very complicated, with shorter time limits on certain days, perhaps to control parking on a market day for instance. The zones may also apply 24/7, particularly when a longer time limit is in place, as they are designed to prevent overnight parking along a sea front for instance.