Couriers not stopping on single yellow line - is this common?

Always thought you could stop for loading on a single yellow?

It was delicious.

Glad the story ends well.

All the excuses come out when it’s the busiest time of the year and couriers are attempting the impossible.

If applied in a widespread manner surely it would break a number of business models.

if applied round here, even for double yellows it would massively improve the traffic flow!  Some of those business models could do with being broken!  I don’t have a problem with any driver deciding to follow the rules.  You are potentially right that there is a loading/unloading exemption but if you were on minimum wage, paying any tickets out your own pocket, and a load of turkeys to deliver before a deadline would you be taking the time to understand the kerb stripes as well as finding a space?

There's a lot of safety, traffic flow and more reasons why there are parking restrictions. It seems unreasonable to ignore them for convenience.

This is the same issue as electric car charging etc.

And yes, there's an assumption in business models that couriers can access legally and safely, and perhaps some places won't be able to take deliveries in future?

Everywhere can take deliveries. Couriers need to be paid for the pavement/stairs/pedestianarea they have to cross to get to the door. Kerbside drops aren’t always possible.

All the excuses come out when it’s the busiest time of the year and couriers are attempting the impossible.

We had one stop to ask directions a couple of days ago, which is common here, and reappear a minute later asking if we could take the package because our neighbour wasn't in. He was in, schedules...

There’s a lot of safety, traffic flow and more reasons why there are parking restrictions. It seems unreasonable to ignore them for convenience.

If such issues are imperative, make it a double yellow.

You can generally stop on single yellows to unload goods or people, "no stopping" is a different rule from "no parking/waiting." If stopping is prohibited completely then it will say so on the signage.

Even if there were parking restrictions, that sounds like a them problem - they've been paid to deliver it. They might not be able to park right outside your door, but that hardly seems like "unable to access the property".

And yes, there’s an assumption in business models that couriers can access legally and safely, and perhaps some places won’t be able to take deliveries in future?

Everywhere can take deliveries. Couriers need to be paid for the pavement/stairs/pedestianarea they have to cross to get to the door. Kerbside drops aren’t always possible.

“We” already treat highland and islands postcodes as if they are a problem and charge an additional fee.   Perhaps that should be the case for other difficult to access locations?  Perhaps if free delivery to your door was not the norm you might walk to the local shop (or a pick up point) helping the local economy and the environment!  Perhaps developers would think more carefully about delivery access to ensure that urban properties didn’t end up on the hit list.

If such issues are imperative, make it a double yellow.

no need - we have single yellow, with or without kerb stripes, double yellow, sign plates, double reds etc.  anyone using the roads is supposed to know the rules - if they don’t want to they can simply treat all as no stopping and they will never get a penalty.  We haven’t seen the lines or signs outside the OPs house nor do we know what time the delivery was.  He says he believes n loading is tolerated, but isn’t asking us to confirm that from the signage - he’s waiting to ask the council.  That seems to imply that a driver with no special knowledge relying on the signage would think it was not permitted at that time.

Obvious question from the OP - does he have off street parking? (Ie a driveway)

Maybe they couldn’t get stopped in your street or close enough to it, but no never heard of a company not stopping on a single yellow line. But, it could be it has times where there is no stopping allowed, that includes for drop off, we have limited information but glad the goose got it’s gander.

while I try to establish the full facts,

but I will wait until the New Year to contact the Council for their views

You got your turkey in time 🙂

Personally this is one I’d just shrug off and not think about again unless you have another issue but it’s interesting to see what some people spend time & effort following up.

(That’s not meant to sound snarky, it is interesting 🙂 )

I requested loading bays for deliveries when our parking scheme was being instituted by the local authority some years ago, on the basis that otherwise drivers have free rein to park anywhere. That feedback was ignored, and a Cambridgeshire traffic wardens once told me they are typically powerless to do anything about drivers on double yellows due to their exemptions for loading. My observation is that most tickets seem to be issued for illicit parking in residential parking scheme spaces, with a blind eye turned to double yellow, grass verge, and pavement parking around here.

I think delivery vehicles should be paying rates to the local authority to offset the destruction wrought on our streets and roads by the new commercial model. It would help to level the distortions slightly, and could help push them towards using EAPCs for urban final mile deliveries.

Turning this around, who would be happy paying any parking fine incurred by the driver delivering your goods?

The fact OP doesn’t know the restrictions themselves and driver probably on terrible wages with a crazy schedule probably suggests the answer.

EAPCs

E-bikes? Not sure how that would realistically look? The load capacity of a small van is massive compared to even the biggest cargo bikes.

The parking bays sound sensible though.

To be clear it was a goose not a turkey

Although that won’t effect parking rules

Even if there were parking restrictions, that sounds like a them problem – they’ve been paid to deliver it.

The problem is, they haven't been paid enough for anything but the easiest, most straightforward delivery. This is the consequence of race-to-the-bottom style courier pricing. And if it's your Chrimbo meat that doesn't get delivered on Xmas eve, it's most definitely a you problem. Why would the courier even give a shit?!

To be clear it was a goose not a turkey

Although that won’t effect parking rules

That would make me more likely to chase it down the street though.

And if it’s your Chrimbo meat that doesn’t get delivered on Xmas eve,

I’m quite disorganised but that is cutting it a bit too fine!

Round here it seems that putting your hazards on means you're allowed to stop wherever you like. Couriers in cars or massive LWB vans, taxis, whatever, just pop your hazards on and it's fine to stop for a few minutes whether it's on any number of yellow lines, corners, zigzag lines by crossings, you name it.

If such issues are imperative, make it a double yellow.

There is no functional difference between single and double yellows other than the times they apply, doubles aren't more "no, really don't park here" than singles are. Double yellows apply at all times, single yellows are backed up with signage explaining the restrictions.

The rules do seem very complicated...

I asked my local council to install a loading bay outside a row of shops near me. Private cars were blocking all the available road space outside the shops, and delivery vans etc were parking on the zigzags as a result. The council installed one a month later and it has (mostly) improved things. There's a problem now of idiots parking in the loading bay but it's a smaller problem than before...

It's always worth talking nicely to your local Highways Dept...

never heard of a company not stopping on a single yellow line.

We've got the opposite problem here. Disabled bays and double yellows on a blind bend and no-one gives a ****, doubly so when the chippie's open and the fat bastards can't be arsed to walk ten yards.

a blind eye turned to double yellow, grass verge, and pavement parking around here.

Point of note here is that pavement parking for regular vehicles isn't illegal (aside from a couple of cities where it's a local bylaw). It's only illegal for goods vehicles. So it may be that they aren't "turning a blind eye" so much as the drivers are legally, if inconveniently, parked.

There is an offence of obstructing the highway, but I've been through the legislation with my non-legal brain and as far as I can tell this applies to fixed structures and things like skips rather than readily-movable vehicles. It's really not clear though.

I asked my local council to install a loading bay outside a row of shops near me. Private cars were blocking all the available road space outside the shops, and delivery vans etc were parking on the zigzags as a result. The council installed one a month later and it has (mostly) improved things. There’s a problem now of idiots parking in the loading bay but it’s a smaller problem than before…

It’s always worth talking nicely to your local Highways Dept…

Username checks out 🙂

Couriers are allowed to stop on single yellow lines if the package they're delivering is large and/or heavy . If it is not large or heavy they have to stop elsewhere.

Personally  I am sick of being charged extra for deliveries as I live in Fort William and I have no complaints about the delivery drivers just about their unscrupulous employers

Sounds like a bit of a maverick courier. Perhaps him and your goose just fancied an unauthorised flyby?

The same level of parking restrictions apply to double and single yellows lines - except single yellows restrictions apply only during period stated on the signs - whereas double yellow applies all the time except where - exceptionally - there are times saying when it doesn't apply.  The rules on single yellows are not less strict.  The rules on this and what stopping is allowed on yellow lines is pretty clear in the highway code.. link below to relevant section

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/road-markings

Couriers are allowed to stop on single yellow lines if the package they’re delivering is large and/or heavy . If it is not large or heavy they have to stop elsewhere.

Nonsense.

As I posted above same rules apply to single and double - just that singles only apply during times indicated on signs

I live on double yellows and no-one in 10 years has had a problem stopping to deliver.

Loading (including couriers)  is allowed on them according to https://www.londoncouncils.gov.uk/services/parking-services/loading-and-unloading

I would guess this is a driver employed by the supplier rather than a regular courier?

I can't imagine a scenario where they would have previously got tickets unless they have blocked a dropped kerb or parked on zigzags, or have taken more than 5 minutes to deliver i.e taking a sack barrow of multiple deliveries and taken too long to come back.

I bet most couriers would much prefer to stop on yellows than have to double park alongside full parking bays.

I can’t imagine a scenario where

The OP didn't talk to the driver, they spoke to a call centre. If I were a betting man, I'd hazard that the call handler was talking bollocks to cover for the fact that one of their drivers had just ****ed off without attempting delivery.

Sounds like a bit of a maverick courier. Perhaps him and your goose just fancied an unauthorised flyby?

This deserved more recognition.

- Cougar.

I can’t imagine a scenario where they would have previously got tickets unless they have blocked a dropped kerb or parked on zigzags, or have taken more than 5 minutes to deliver i.e taking a sack barrow of multiple deliveries and taken too long to come back.

When there is no unloading or unloading due to time constraints or not at any time.

To be clear it was a goose not a turkey ... That would make me more likely to chase it down the street though.

Wildly, obviously.

When there is no unloading or unloading due to time constraints or not at any time.

Op didn't mention any signs displaying such stipulations.nor vertical lines drawn on the kerb

Some of you have your red lines and yellow lines mixed up.

"There is an offence of obstructing the highway, but I’ve been through the legislation with my non-legal brain and as far as I can tell this applies to fixed structures and things like skips rather than readily-movable vehicles."

It applies to vehicles.

"103.  No person in charge of a motor vehicle or trailer shall cause or permit the vehicle to stand on a road so as to cause any unnecessary obstruction of the road. "

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1986/1078/regulation/103

It used to be the case (and may still be) that this was a police only enforcement. No parking wardens. It includes blocking pavements and could cover double parking.  I would hazard a guess that this is pretty low down on the priorities for police forces. I have seen it used but a delivery driver would be astoundingly unlucky to be caught.   99.9% of the time if the police did anything it would be to tell him to park elsewhere.

Point of note here is that pavement parking for regular vehicles isn’t illegal (aside from a couple of cities where it’s a local bylaw).

In England

Op didn’t mention any signs displaying such stipulations.nor vertical lines drawn on the kerb

They didn’t mention much and I was talking about the possible reason why they may have got one in the past.

Then there’s this.

The road is inded a single yellow line and the parking restrictions did apply during those hours,

Drivers for low cost couriers don't like industrial estates. We've had several deliveries reordered not in when thew orkshop is manned all day. They gey close enough for the tracker to register they've arrived, take a photos of the nearest unit and drive off.

Then there’s this.

Indeed. Nothing about not loading or unloading. Just parking.

Anything else would be inferred rather than given  by the op

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But is a dick move world wide.

Like I said it’s not clear.

Single yellow lines - no waiting during the displayed times

Double yellow line - no waiting at any time

Single yellow stripe up and over face of kerb - no loading during displayed times

Double yellow stripe up and over face of kerb - no loading at any time

Single red line - no stopping during the displayed times

Double red line - no stopping at any time

So if your line is yellow and you have no stripes up and over the face of the kerb then stopping for loading/unloading is permitted

It applies to vehicles.

“103. No person in charge of a motor vehicle or trailer shall cause or permit the vehicle to stand on a road so as to cause any unnecessary obstruction of the road.”

By that letter of that rule, it could be argued street parking is blanket illegal.

How do we define "unnecessary obstruction" and how does that relate to pavements? "It was necessary to obstruct the footpath Your Honour, otherwise I'd have been blocking the highway and my chips were getting cold."

I've read that before (the last time this conversation cropped up on STW). I'm not a lawyer, but I don't think it's particularly clear.

In England

Well, yes, good point. It's illegal in London and Scotland, but I don't live in either of those places along with many other countries and I have no idea where the OP is so I was going with what I knew.

Wibble gets it.

Others are trying to be correct by technicality.