The Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2002

PART I SIGNIFICANCE OF BUS STOP AND BUS STAND CLEARWAY MARKINGS

Interpretation of Part I of Schedule

1.  For the purposes of this Part of this Schedule—

(a) “clearway” means an area of carriageway bounded by the continuous and broken straight yellow lines comprised in the road marking in diagram 1025.1, 1025.3 or 1025.4 and “bus stop clearway” means a clearway on which the words “BUS STOP” are marked; and

(b) a vehicle shall be taken to have stopped within a clearway if—

(i) any point in the clearway is below the vehicle or its load (if any); and

(ii) the vehicle is stationary.

Prohibition conveyed by road markings

2.  The road markings in diagrams 1025.1, 1025.3 and 1025.4 shall each convey the prohibition that, subject to the exceptions specified in paragraphs 3 and 4, no person driving a vehicle shall cause it to stop within the clearway—

(a) at any time, if the sign shown in diagram 974 or 975 placed in conjunction with the markings is varied so as to omit the reference to times of day; or

(b) in any other case, during the period specified on that sign.

Exceptions in favour of buses

3.  Nothing in paragraph 2 applies to the driver of a bus being used in the provision of a local service who causes the bus to stop within the clearway for so long as may be necessary—

(a) to maintain the published timetable for the service (provided, in the case of a bus stop clearway, the bus is not stopped within the clearway for a period exceeding two minutes);

(b) to enable passengers to board or alight from the bus; or

(c) to enable the crew of the bus to be changed.

Other exceptions

4.—(1) Nothing in paragraph 2 applies in relation to—

(a) a vehicle being used for fire brigade, ambulance or police purposes;

(b) anything done with the permission or at the direction of—

(i) a constable in uniform;

(ii) a traffic warden; or

(iii) where the clearway is in a special parking area designated under Part II of the Road Traffic Act 1991 or Schedule 3 to that Act, a parking attendant appointed under section 63A of the 1984 Act(1);

(c) a vehicle which is prevented from proceeding by circumstances beyond the driver’s control or which has to be stopped in order to avoid injury or damage to persons or property;

(d) a taxi which is stationary only for so long as may be reasonably necessary for a passenger to board or alight and to load or unload any luggage of the passenger;

(e) a marked vehicle which, whilst used by a universal service provider in the course of the provision of a universal postal service, is stationary only for so long as may be reasonably necessary for postal packets to be collected;

(f) a vehicle driven by a person whilst being trained to drive a bus operating local services who, as part of his training, stops the vehicle within a clearway for no longer than necessary to simulate the stopping of a bus at a bus stop for the purpose of picking up and setting down passengers;

(g) a vehicle which is stationary in order that it may be used for one or more of the purposes specified in paragraph 5 and which cannot be used for such a purpose without stopping in the clearway.

(2) In sub-paragraph (1)(e) the expressions “universal service provider”, “provision of a universal postal service” and “postal packet” shall bear the same meanings as in the Postal Services Act 2000(2).

Permitted purposes

5.  The purposes referred to in paragraph 4(g) are—

(a) any operation involving building, demolition or excavation;

(b) the removal of any obstruction to traffic;

(c) the maintenance, improvement or reconstruction of a road;

(d) constructing, improving, maintaining or cleaning any street furniture including bus stop infrastructure; or

(e) the laying, erection, alteration, repair or cleaning of any sewer or of any main, pipe or apparatus for the supply of gas, water or electricity, or of any telecommunications apparatus kept installed for the purposes of a telecommunications code system or of any other telecommunications apparatus lawfully kept installed in any position.

(1)

Section 63A was inserted by the Road Traffic Act 1991 section 44(1) and was amended by the Greater London Authority Act 1999 (c. 29) section 289.

(2)

2000 c. 26.