PART 7The significance of particular signs in Schedule 9
Stop sign
1. Subject to paragraph 2, the requirements conveyed to vehicular traffic on roads by a stop sign are that—
(a)every vehicle must stop before crossing the transverse line provided for at item 1 of the sign table in Part 6 of this Schedule, or if that line is not clearly visible, before entering the major road in respect of which the stop sign has been provided; and
(b)no vehicle must cross the transverse line, or if that line is not clearly visible, enter the major road in respect of which the stop sign has been provided, so as to be likely to endanger any person, or to cause the driver of another vehicle to change its speed or course in order to avoid an accident.
2. The requirements conveyed to vehicular traffic on roads by a stop sign when placed at a level crossing are that—
(a)every vehicle must stop before crossing the transverse line, or if that line is not clearly visible, before entering the level crossing; and
(b)no vehicle must cross the transverse line, or if that line is not clearly visible, enter the level crossing so as to be likely to endanger the driver of, or any passenger in, any railway vehicle or tramcar or to cause that driver to change speed in order to avoid an accident.
Give way sign
3. Subject to paragraph 4, the requirements conveyed to vehicular traffic on roads by a give way sign are that no vehicle is to cross the transverse line provided for at item 3 of the sign table in Part 6 of this Schedule nearer to the major road at the side of which that line is placed, or if that line is not clearly visible, enter that major road, so as to be likely to endanger any person, or to cause the driver of another vehicle to change its speed or course in order to avoid an accident.
4. The requirements conveyed to vehicular traffic on roads by a give way sign when placed in combination with the sign at item 4 or 5 of the sign table in Part 2 of this Schedule are that no vehicle must cross the transverse line nearer to the level crossing at the side of which that line is placed, or if that line is not clearly visible, enter that level crossing, so as to be likely to endanger the driver of, or any passenger in, any railway vehicle or tramcar or to cause that driver to change the speed of his or her vehicle in order to avoid an accident.
Priority to right sign
5.—(1) The requirements conveyed to vehicular traffic on roads by a sign provided for at item 6 of the sign table in Part 2 of this Schedule are that—
(a)a vehicle entering the junction must give priority to vehicles coming from the right—
(i)at the transverse road marking provided for at item 6 of the sign table in Part 6 of this Schedule;
(ii)at the transverse road marking provided for at item 3 of the sign table in Part 6 of this Schedule; or
(iii)if a marking is not for the time being visible, at the junction;
(b)a vehicle proceeding through the junction must keep to the left of the white circle at the centre of the marking provided for at item 5 of the sign table in Part 6 of this Schedule (“the diagram 1003.4 marking”), unless the size of the vehicle or the layout of the junction makes it impracticable to do so; and
(c)no vehicle is to proceed past the diagram 1003.4 marking in a manner, or at a time, likely to endanger any person, or to cause the driver of another vehicle to change its speed or course in order to avoid an accident.
Permission to cross sign
6.—(1) Subject to sub-paragraph (2) the requirements conveyed to vehicular traffic on roads by a sign provided for at item 4 of the sign table in Part 4 of this Schedule are that no abnormal transport unit is to proceed onto or over a level crossing unless—
(a)the driver of the unit has used a telephone provided at or near the crossing for the purpose of obtaining from a person, authorised in that behalf by the railway or tramway authority, permission for the unit to proceed;
(b)that permission has been obtained before the unit proceeds; and
(c)the unit proceeds in accordance with any terms attached to that permission.
(2) Sub-paragraph (1)(b) and (c) does not apply if—
(a)the driver uses the telephone at the crossing and receives an indication for not less than two minutes that the telephone at the other end of the telephone line is being called, but no duly authorised person answers it, or the driver receives no indication at all due to a fault or malfunction of the telephone; and
(b)the driver then drives the unit on to the crossing with the reasonable expectation of crossing it within times specified in a railway or tramway notice at the telephone as being times between which railway vehicles or tramcars do not normally travel over that crossing.
Give way marking
7. The requirements conveyed to vehicular traffic on roads by a road marking provided for at item 3 of the sign table in Part 6 of this Schedule are—
(a)except as provided in paragraphs (b) to (d), that no vehicle may proceed past the transverse line which is the nearer to the major road into that road in a manner or at a time likely to endanger the driver of, or any passenger in, a vehicle on the major road or to cause the driver of such a vehicle to change its speed or course in order to avoid an accident;
(b)where the transverse lines are placed at a level crossing, that no vehicle may proceed past such one of those lines as is the nearer the level crossing in a manner or at a time likely to endanger the driver of, or any passenger in, a railway vehicle or tramcar, or to cause that driver to change the speed of his or her vehicle in order to avoid an accident;
(c)where the transverse lines are placed in advance of a point in the road where the width of the carriageway narrows significantly, that no vehicle may proceed past such one of those lines as is nearer to the point of narrowing in a manner or at a time likely to endanger the driver of, or any passenger in, a vehicle that is proceeding in the opposite direction to the first-mentioned vehicle, or cause the driver of such a vehicle to change its speed or course in order to avoid an accident;
(d)where the transverse lines are placed in advance of a length of the carriageway of the road where a cycle track crosses the road along a route parallel to the transverse lines, that no vehicle may proceed past such one of those lines as is the nearer the cycle track, in a manner or at a time likely to endanger any cyclist proceeding along the cycle track or to cause such a cyclist to change speed or course in order to avoid an accident.
Cyclists to give way
8. A cycle must not be ridden across the transverse line provided for at item 9 of the sign table in Part 6 of this Schedule in a manner or at a time that is likely to endanger any person, or to cause the driver of another vehicle to change its speed or course in order to avoid an accident.
No stopping or crossing white line marking
9.—(1) The requirements conveyed to vehicular traffic on roads by a road marking provided for at items 23 and 24 of the sign table in Part 6 of this Schedule are that—
(a)subject to sub-paragraphs (2) to (4), no vehicle is to stop on any length of road along which the marking has been placed at any point between the ends of the marking; and
(b)subject to sub-paragraph (5), every vehicle proceeding on any length of road along which the marking has been so placed, as viewed in the direction of travel of the vehicle, a continuous line is on the left of a broken line or of another continuous line, must be so driven as to keep the first-mentioned continuous line on the right hand or off side of the vehicle.
(2) Nothing in sub-paragraph (1)(a) applies so as to prevent a vehicle stopping on any length of road so long as may be necessary for any of the purposes specified in sub-paragraph (3) if the vehicle cannot be used for such a purpose without stopping on the length of road.
(3) The purposes are—
(a)to enable a person to board or alight from the vehicle,
(b)to enable goods to be loaded on to or to be unloaded from the vehicle,
(c)to enable the vehicle to be used in connection with—
(i)any operation involving building, demolition or excavation;
(ii)the removal of any obstruction to traffic;
(iii)the maintenance, improvement or reconstruction of the length of road; or
(iv)the laying, erection, alteration, repair or cleaning in or near the length of road of any sewer or of any main, pipe or apparatus for the supply of gas, water or electricity, or of any electronic communications apparatus kept installed for the purposes of an electronic communications code system or of any other electronic communications apparatus lawfully kept installed in any position.
(4) Nothing in sub-paragraph (1)(a) applies—
(a)so as to prevent a vehicle stopping in a lay-by;
(b)to a vehicle being used for at least one of the following purposes—
(i)fire and rescue authority;
(ii)Scottish Fire and Rescue Service;
(iii)traffic officer;
(iv)ambulance;
(v)providing a response to an emergency at the request of an NHS ambulance service;
(vi)bomb or explosive disposal;
(vii)special forces;
(viii)police; and
(ix)National Crime Agency.
(c)to a pedal cycle;
(d)to a vehicle stopping in any case where the person in control of the vehicle is required by law to stop, or is obliged to do so in order to avoid an accident, or is prevented from proceeding by circumstances outside the person’s control;
(e)to anything done with the permission or at the direction of a constable in uniform, traffic officer in uniform or in accordance with the direction of a traffic warden; or
(f)to a vehicle on a road with more than one traffic lane in each direction.
(5) Nothing in sub-paragraph (1)(b) is to be taken to prohibit a vehicle from being driven across, or so as to straddle, the continuous line referred to in that paragraph, if it is safe to do so and if necessary to do so—
(a)to enable the vehicle to enter, from the side of the road on which it is proceeding, land or premises adjacent to the length of road on which the line is placed, or another road joining that road;
(b)in order to pass a stationary vehicle;
(c)owing to circumstances outside the control of the driver;
(d)in order to avoid an accident;
(e)in order to pass a road maintenance vehicle which is in use, is moving at a speed not exceeding 10 mph, and is displaying to the rear a sign provided for at item 9 or 10 of the sign table in Part 6 of Schedule 13;
(f)in order to pass a pedal cycle moving at a speed not exceeding 10 mph;
(g)in order to pass a horse that is being ridden or led at a speed not exceeding 10 mph; or
(h)for the purposes of complying with any direction of a constable in uniform, a traffic officer in uniform or a traffic warden.
10. The warning conveyed to vehicular traffic on roads by the road marking provided for at item 23 of the sign table in Part 6 of this Schedule is that no vehicle while travelling next to a broken line placed on the left of a continuous line, as viewed in the direction of travel of the vehicle, should cross or straddle the first-mentioned line unless it is seen by the driver of the vehicle to be safe to do so.
Box junctions
11.—(1) Subject to sub-paragraphs (2), (3) and (4), the yellow criss-cross marking provided for at item 25 of the sign table in Part 6 conveys the prohibition that a person must not cause a vehicle to enter the box junction so that the vehicle has to stop within the box junction due to the presence of stationary vehicles.
(2) Subject to sub-paragraph (4) the marking when placed as a box junction within sub-paragraph (6)(c) of the definition of that expression conveys the prohibition that a person must not cause a vehicle to enter the box junction so that the vehicle has to stop within the box junction due to the presence of oncoming vehicles or other stationary vehicles beyond the box junction.
(3) The prohibition in sub-paragraph (1) does not, in respect of a box junction within sub-paragraph (6)(a) of the definition of that expression, apply to a person who—
(a)causes a vehicle to enter the box junction for the purpose of turning right; and
(b)stops the vehicle within the box junction for so long as the vehicle is prevented from completing the right turn by an oncoming vehicle or other vehicle which is stationary whilst waiting to complete a right turn.
(4) When a vehicle is being used for at least one of the purposes mentioned at sub-paragraph (5) and the observance of the prohibition in sub-paragraph (1) or (2) would be likely to hinder the use of that vehicle for that purpose, then that prohibition does not apply to the driver of the vehicle.
(5) The purposes are—
(a)fire and rescue authority;
(b)Scottish Fire and Rescue Service;
(c)ambulance;
(d)providing a response to an emergency at the request of an NHS ambulance service;
(e)bomb or explosive disposal;
(f)special forces;
(g)police; and
(h)National Crime Agency.
(6) For the purposes of this paragraph “box junction” means an area of the carriageway where the marking has been placed and which is—
(a)at a junction between two or more roads;
(b)at a gyratory system or roundabout;
(c)along a length of a two-way road (other than at a junction), the carriageway of which is not greater than 4.5 metres wide at its narrowest point; or
(d)on the length of road adjacent to the vehicular entrance to the premises of a fire, police or ambulance station; and
(7) A reference in this paragraph (however expressed) to a vehicle which is stationary or stops within a box junction includes a vehicle which is stationary whilst part of it is within the box junction.
Mandatory with flow cycle lanes
12.—(1) This paragraph applies to the road marking provided for at item 7 of the sign table in Part 6—
(a)when that marking is being used to separate a cycle lane from another part of the carriageway; and
(b)where the direction of travel along the cycle lane and the part of the carriageway from which it is separated is the same.
(2) Subject to sub-paragraphs (3) to (5), the marking conveys the requirement that a vehicle, other than a pedal cycle, must not be driven, or ridden, in the cycle lane during the cycle lane’s hours of operation (which may be all the time).
(3) Sub-paragraph (2) does not prohibit a vehicle from crossing into the part of the carriageway reserved for pedal cycles, or straddling the marking, if it is safe and necessary to do so—
(a)in order to pass a stationary vehicle;
(b)to enable the vehicle to enter, from the side of the road on which it is proceeding, land or premises adjacent to the length of road on which the line is placed, or another road joining that road;
(c)due to circumstances outside the control of the driver;
(d)in order to avoid an accident; or
(e)for the purpose of complying with any direction of a constable in uniform or a traffic warden.
(4) When a vehicle is being used for at least one of the purposes mentioned at sub-paragraph (5) and the observance of the prohibition in sub-paragraph (2) would be likely to hinder the use of the vehicle for that purpose, then that prohibition does not apply to the driver of the vehicle.
(5) The purposes are—
(a)fire and rescue authority;
(b)Scottish Fire and Rescue Service;
(c)ambulance;
(d)providing a response to an emergency at the request of an NHS ambulance service;
(e)bomb or explosive disposal;
(f)special forces;
(g)police; and
(h)National Crime Agency.