Double Yellow Lines

[nowhere2park]

Everyones favourite

Imagine theres a bend in the main road, on the bend is a short 200m long side road. The Double yellow lines carry around the bend on the main across the entrance to the side road. Our council says its illegal to park on the side road as the illegality from double yellow lines extends to the building line. In this case the building line would be at the far end of the side road. So you could park at the end of the side road 200m from the lines and get a ticket ?

[Toureman]

The wording of double yellow lines is

"It is illegal to park ON double yellow lines"

As you are not parked on double yellow lines it should be OK.

In Some mews in London the double yellow lines are painted a cars width from the building line allowing cars to park next to the mews houses.

[buildersmate]

I think Toureman is right. However it begs the question why the line painters didn't extend the the lines around the the side road a few metres in and stop, then restart the line on other side of the side road. Running the lines across the side road implies the side road itself is not part of the public highway. Do you know if it's been adopted?

[nowhere2park]

hasnt been adopted, but the council 'refer to it' by the same name as the main troad, and its whats on the ticket, therefore illegal ticket cos the lines are not painted right - this is my view.

The law states that its illegal to park from the center of the road to the footpath and verge and the building line. In absence of a building line its the boundary with private land ie the verge footpath would be public.

[buildersmate]

Agree with you. It can't be illegal to go off the highway onto private road (which an adopted road is), the the highway only extends as far as you say it does.

[buildersmate]

Unadopted, sorry

[nowhere2park]

Thanks Guys - but this is our caring Borough Councils View:

Under legislation, double yellow lines are enforceable from the centre
of the road to the 'building line', this includes any footway, verges or
public land on either side of the double yellow line. In the absence of
a 'building' the 'building line' is the boundary of any private land
adjacent to the highway.

- So in my case 200m of road off the main highway.
I guess all the councils have to do to solve a parking problem is paint one set of lines across a road in england somewhere - say Penzance the every other road is covered by it.

[Toureman]

Seems like the council and the warden are both prats !

[buildersmate]

Unadopted means just that - unadopted by the council. Public land (that is not the highway) means land registered to the Council, Common Land. It all depends who owns this unadopted lane. If the side road was developed by a single property developer, the land is still probably owned by it, awaiting adoption, or divied up between the houses with rights for all owners to pass/repass over it etc. I suppose it depends how badly you want to park for free on this land as to whether you pursue the ownership thing.

[Rev Sermon]

If you have been given a ticket then contest it, this costs nothing. The council ALWAYS reply saying the offence still stands but you can appeal again (this goes to an independent organisation, the parking appeals... or something similar), generally if you persevere at this stage they will drop the charge. If not appeal a third time and agree to go to court. If there is any doubt as there obviously is here, the council will suddennly back down. At worst, you turn up in court, give your views then pay the same fine as if you hadn't contested it.
R.S.