I was parked on the side of the road where there were single yellow marks on the kerb. The sign said "no loading 4.30pm - 6.30pm".

As I wasn't loading/unloading anything I assumed that it would be ok to park there. Come back and I have thirty pound ticket from the police. This would be ok if it said no parking but it said no loading!

This was outside the Star and Gartner on Winter Street.

Check out the Highway Code, Micky.

The lines on the kerb are only meant to back up the road markings and if I remember rightly, the road markings outside the Star & Garter are 'double yellow' which means no waiting at any time except for loading. The mark on the kerb then qualifies that further to restrict the 'loading period'.

go to

http://www.highwaycode.gov.uk/signs09.shtml

No loading means you can't park there doesn't it?

Thanks for the replies, there are no double yellows outside the Star and Garter. Click the link for what it looks like:

http://www.highwaycode.gov.uk/sign211.shtml

If no loading meant no parking why does it not say no parking?

I think it's the other way round - there are places you can't park with the exception of when you are loading / unloading (helps van drivers deliver stock to shops!) - but if you can't load, you can't park either!

Originally posted by Micky
If no loading meant no parking why does it not say no parking?

because what is stopping you parking up to load? So 'no loading' must mean no parking as well.

I think qazitory's right - "no loading" doesn't mean that people aren't allowed to load thereby stopping you having the space for parking - it means no parking, not even for (un)loading

Thanks for the replies people. At least I will know next time!

Technically I guess you could be loading. If you come back with one item more than when you left and stick it in your car you are loading it up.

I almost got a ticket (on Western Bank) for not loading quickly enough! It was deemed (by a warden) that I had been inside the house too long to be considered as 'loading' although it must have been 5 minutes maximum!

There's a fine balance between parked, loading and loading too slowly :P

The one that caught me out was on Surrey Street near the front of the town hall. I checked the times on the notice and it was OK to park but I didn't see the 2 inch square sign 8 foot up the lamp post showing it was for loading only. Arse.

Originally posted by Geoff
I almost got a ticket (on Western Bank) for not loading quickly enough! It was deemed (by a warden) that I had been inside the house too long to be considered as 'loading' although it must have been 5 minutes maximum!

There's a fine balance between parked, loading and loading too slowly :P

Were you in a car or a van? They generally give you more time if you are in the latter.

My other arf used to park on double yellows in the city centre on a Saturday afternoon, with his hazzards blinking and a notice in the window saying 'delivery and collection in progress'. He only once ever got a ticket, challenged it with the police as he had witnesses to his sign and got away with it.

He's been parking like that as long as I've known him....with his trusty sign.