Neither the police nor local authorities will take action if you park on this roadside line
Drivers looking for somewhere to park will often come up against restrictions and have to look elsewhere with lines at the side of the road often used to indicate where parking is restricted or banned. Double yellow lines, for example, mean no waiting at any time while a single yellow line means no waiting at times specified on nearby signs
Double and single red lines mean no stopping at all – and are often seen in major cities or near airports. Breaking any of those rules could land you with a parking fine. You could also see broken white lines or boxes indicating where parking is restricted to people with permits, people with blue badges, doctors or other specific vehicles.
But one set of lines has no legal power at all, even though councils will charge homeowners up to £300 a time to install them. These are single, solid white lines – with perpendicular white lines at each end. They are often used to indicate where a dropped kerb has been placed, or where access is needed to a private drive – but they cannot be enforced, and you cannot be fined for parking on one.
While councils and the police can take action if someone parks across a dropped kerb, if a solid white line – also known as an H bar or access protection bar markings – is in place where there is no dropped kerb, then there is no offence.
Drivers are not allowed to park across any part of a dropped kerb – including the slopes on either side, but outside of that, the white line is advisory and cannot be enforced to stop someone from parking.
Rules on the white lines vary across the country, with some councils providing them for anyone who applies and pays, while others will only provide them in specific circumstances – for example, if the driver has a blue badge. Some councils and police forces will happily take action if someone parks across a dropped kerb, keeping a register of all access points and providing a 24/7 hotline to take complaints. Others insist homeowners who have difficulties try neighbour conflict resolution or civil action.
But regardless, if the white access protection marking H bar line doesn’t coincide with a dropped kerb, it has no force, and you can park at the side of the road.
Some councils will insist you need to park 1.5metres away from the end of a dropped kerb – but there is no national law or Highway Code rule enforcing this.
