History

In 1947, George Musgrave entered a competition with the suggestion that yellow lines should be
painted along the side the road to indicate that parking is not permitted.[2]
On 10 July 1958, the first parking meter in England was installed in London. The meter charged 6d for
the first two hours, ten shillings for the next two hours and two pounds after that.[3]
As of the Road Traffic Act 1991, parking offences have been decriminalised, and can be enforced by
councils rather than the police,[1] though parking pricing must be introduced as the parking
enforcement must be self-financing.[4]

Pricing
Pricing is a system used to charge those parking in off-street and on-street spaces for their time parked.
It can be used to discourage long-term and commuter parking in city centres and to generate revenue
for local councils.[1]
Remote payment or pay-by-phone parking allows parking to be paid for using a mobile phone,
reducing the need for on-street infrastructure such as pay-and-display machines. The two major
companies in the UK are RingGo and PayByPhone. Some local authorities, such as Westminster, have
removed on-street cash machines altogether.[1]

Controlled Parking Zones

Main article: Controlled Parking Zone
A Controlled Parking Zone or CPZ is a specific type of UK parking restriction that may be applied to a
group of roads within the zone. The intended purpose of a CPZ is to reduce the clutter that can arise
from erecting several signs that would otherwise convey the same information, such as a common time
restriction sign adjacent to all the single yellow lines in the zone. The CPZ applies to all parking within
the zone unless individual parking bays are signed with different restrictions.[5]

Yellow lines

Cars illegally parked on double yellow lines

Further information: Yellow line (road marking)
A single yellow line is a road marking that is present on the side of the carriageway in the United
Kingdom. It indicates that parking or waiting at that roadside is prohibited at certain times of day. The
exact times vary by area and are indicated by signs at the roadside, or by Controlled Parking Zone entry
signs. Stopping to load and to pick up or set down passengers is generally allowed unless additional
restrictions apply.[6]
Double yellow lines along the edge of the carriageway indicate that waiting restrictions apply to the
road[7] (which includes the carriageway, footway and verge). A driver may stop for passengers to board
or alight and to load or unload (unless there are also 'loading restrictions' - see below). The regulation
applies to all vehicles. The restriction applies from the centre of the carriageway to the back of the
footway.
Loading and unloading is allowed on double yellow lines at any time, unless there are additional
markings indicating that there are 'loading restrictions'. A single short yellow stripe at regular intervals
across the kerb or edge of the carriageway indicates that loading and unloading is not permitted at the
times shown on accompanying black and white sign plates.[8] Two short yellow stripes at regular
intervals across the kerb or edge of the carriageway indicate that loading and unloading is not permitted
at any time (and the sign plates may be omitted). Loading/unloading time may be restricted, depending
upon the local authority making the restriction. One must not cause an obstruction to traffic or
pedestrians.[9]