news

       With the new school year starting and parents as usual loading their kids into the car and rushing to the school gates, they need to know these parking rules to avoid hefty fines.
       During peak hours, illegal and thoughtless parking often occurs near schools, which often leads to complaints from local residents about parents picking up their children from school.
       Drivers need to be aware of the various road markings and the rules for applying them, as well as the rules prohibiting cars from parking near certain schools.
       As children return to school after the summer holidays, all parents need to know the following rules to avoid large fines.
       Yellow zig-zag lines appear not only near campuses, but also near hospitals, police stations and fire stations and always indicate areas where parking is strictly prohibited.
       For hospitals, police stations and fire stations, it is important to prevent drivers from blocking important entrances and exits.
       However, outside schools this is done to ensure that vehicles do not interfere with children leaving school or crossing the road.
       The Highway Code states: “You must not wait, stop or halt to drop off or pick up passengers if there is a vertical sign prohibiting stopping at the entrance to a school.”
       This means that you can’t stop there at all – even if the engine is still running and you allow the child to quickly jump out.
       Yellow zigzag lines appear not only near schools, but also near hospitals, police stations and fire stations and always indicate a strictly prohibited parking zone.
       If there are signs indicating hours of operation, it means that parking wardens or local law enforcement officers have the authority to issue parking tickets during those hours.
       If parents choose to ignore the yellow zig-zag line rule outside the school they will be issued with a £70 fine.
       If there are signs indicating opening hours next to the yellow zig-zag lines, this means that during these times parking wardens or local authority officers have the power to issue Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) to people parking in that area.
       If there are no signs indicating opening hours, this means that the police, not the local authority, are responsible for enforcing parking regulations.
       Slightly different from the yellow zig-zag lines, double yellow lines allow you to stop briefly to allow a child to enter or exit the car.
       Double yellow lines mean that stopping and waiting is prohibited at all times unless otherwise indicated on the sign.
       The only exception to this rule is blue badge holders, who can park on the double yellow line for up to three hours.
       However, if you turn off the engine and park your car, you risk getting a fine or even a tow truck.
       As the RAC points out, the fine for parking on a double yellow line is up to the local council or police (if they are responsible for enforcing the rules in the area) and can be up to £130.
       The fine is usually halved if you pay within 14 days, but you can’t appeal a parking fine you’ve already paid.
       The Department of Transport clearly states that the double yellow line rule applies when parking close to the double yellow line, from the centre of the road to the edge of the pavement/road lane.
       The Department for Transport’s guidance states that “waiting time restrictions indicated by yellow lines apply to the carriageway, pavement and shoulder.”
       You need to check the signs near the single yellow line to find out what restrictions apply and when they apply.
       Areas surrounding schools will likely have restrictions in place during peak hours.
       Double yellow lines on the curb mean that loading is prohibited at all times, and there will be a black and white sign nearby. This means you should not stop there.
       Many busy areas, particularly near city centres, are designated as ‘controlled parking zones’ (CPZs), which may cover several streets.
       At the entrances and exits of the zone, as well as within it, signs are installed indicating that parking may be permitted in certain places within the ZPZ, but only at certain times indicated on the signs.
       In London, the School Streets initiative has introduced temporary road restrictions outside schools to discourage vehicles from using these roads during peak hours as schoolchildren travel to and from work. Here’s an example from Tooting
       The school rush hour is undoubtedly the busiest time of day for parents, commuters and drivers. Last year, it also left almost 400,000 Londoners with huge transport costs.
       This is due to the fact that in 2022, drivers driving along “school streets” during restrictions in the capital were issued a colossal number of fines – 398,745.
       Some authorities fine drivers up to £130 for breaking certain rules, resulting in London boroughs raising up to £52m from school street charges last year alone.
       The School Streets initiative introduces temporary restrictions on roads outside schools to discourage drivers from using them during rush hour.
       The restrictions apply to school transport and transit services and are aimed at protecting children from vehicles and reducing air pollution.
       London’s first School Street opened in Camden in 2017 and they have since become hugely popular in the capital.
       By 2022, there will be around 400 permanent school streets in the capital, with a further 136 to be trialled as part of the consultation process.
       If these experiments are successful and implemented, the number of permanent school streets in London could increase by 35% to a total of 529.
       Schools are particularly concerned about vehicles parked near school grounds as there are concerns that exhaust fumes, particularly nitrogen oxides and particulate matter, could harm children. Offenders could be fined up to £20.
       Rule 123 of the Road Traffic Regulations states that a driver must not leave a parked vehicle unattended with the engine running or leave the engine of a vehicle running unnecessarily when the vehicle is parked on a public road.
       Schools are particularly concerned about drivers idling near school grounds, as there is concern that emissions, particularly nitrogen oxides and particulate matter, could harm children.
       Under the Highway Traffic Regulations 2002, some local authorities issue £20 fixed penalty notices (FPNs) for emissions and non-permanent parking offences.
       The fine can rise to £801. However, it is important to note that the fine will only be imposed if the driver refuses to switch off the engine when asked to do so by an authorised officer.
       In 2019, the RAC launched a programme encouraging schools to purchase Clean Air Zone in Schools banners, which were launched in 2019.
       You need to not only pay attention to road markings, but also follow several recommendations of the Road Traffic Regulations regarding parking near schools.
       Additionally, you should not park your vehicle in locations that may impede emergency services access, such as at or near a bus stop, opposite an intersection, or within 10 metres of an intersection, which may be relevant in an area adjacent to a school.
       Since many schools are located in residential areas, it is worth noting that the same rules state that you cannot park in front of your home, even for a short time.