Page:UK Traffic Signs Manual - Chapter 3 Regulatory Signs. 2008 (Second Impression 2008).pdf/100

CONTROLLED PARKING ZONES ZONE" or "Ticket and Meter ZONE". It is therefore not appropriate to mix disc or ticket parking with any other type of parking that is available to non—permit holders (e.g. pay and display). A zone signed with any of the permitted legends may include parking for permit holders and for disabled badge holders.

The legend at the top of the voucher parking zone sign may be varied to either "Voucher parking and Meter ZONE" or "Voucher parking and Ticket ZONE". This zone may also include parking for permit holders and disabled badge holders, although not indicated on the entry sign.

The legend "No loading" is added below the roundel on the signs to diagrams 663 and 663.1 where there is a prohibition of loading within the zone that applies at the same times as the prohibition of waiting (see para 12.3). Where the zone operates at all times, the lower panel of the sign to diagram 663 is omitted (whether or not "No loading" is indicated in the upper panel of the sign). The lower panel of the sign to diagram 663.1 is not omitted, as it needs to show the maximum period that parking is allowed in one visit. The operational period shown on either sign may not be varied to ”At any time” as this is not permitted by the Regulations.

It is not essential for a type (a) CPZ, other than a disc or ticket zone, to be introduced where parking controls are required. Each road can be signed in accordance with sections 6 and 7 without the need to provide zone entry signs. The advantages of a zone might be:

(i) a simplified traffic order

(ii) some reduction in environmental intrusion by removal of upright "no waiting" signs and posts within the zone (see para 12.2), but at the expense of providing large zone entry signs

(iii) an indication to drivers that all road space is controlled

(iv) an indication to drivers of the type of parking available (e.g. pay and display).

However, there are also significant disadvantages. Research has shown that it is unrealistic to expect drivers to remember the times of operation of the zone when they come to park a considerable distance after passing a zone entry sign. The area of the zone should therefore be restricted to, for example, a town centre shopping area. A zone covering a whole town, or suburb of a conurbation, would be much too large (see para 12.13). Drivers are likely also to have difficulty where zones have complex operational times, e.g. different times on different days of the week, or where they are adjacent to other zones that have different operational times. In all the above cases, consideration should be given to replacing the zone with conventional signing as described in section 6, dividing the zone into several smaller ones or reducing the size of the zone and signing other roads individually.

As the times shown on the entry signs generally coincide with those applying to parking places as well as to the yellow line waiting restrictions, drivers might take signs at on—street parking places as a reminder of the times when waiting is prohibited. This would be confusing where parking places operate at different times (e.g. 24-hour permit parking in a zone that does not operate for 24 hours). In such cases, conventional signing might be preferable to the introduction of a zone.

Where there are breaks in a run of parking bays to allow for vehicle crossovers at private accesses, the Regulations require that these gaps be marked with a yellow line (see para 12.1). This must be reflected in the order, as a yellow line cannot be placed within a designated parking place (i.e. the vehicle crossovers must be specifically excluded from the parking place defined in the order). A yellow line at a vehicle crossover would prevent the owner of a property from parking there when the waiting restriction is in force. If this is a problem, a possible solution might be to extend the bay across the access, which should be included in the order as part of the designated parking place, but provide the advisory "keep clear" marking to diagram 1026.1 to discourage inconsiderate parking (see para 7.52). Where the road is a cul—de—sac and all parking is for permit holders only, the signing described in para 7.15 might be appropriate, but this will require authorisation from the Department (see para 2.11).

In this case there would be no road markings within the road concerned, but as it would be designated as a parking place for permit holders, it would still meet the requirements of a type (a) CPZ as defined by the Regulations (see para 12.1). 98