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Controlled Parking Zones A controlled parking zone (CPZ) is a parking scheme mainly used in urban areas. CPZs are used by local councils to address particular parking problems in a community - usually in order to help residents park near to their homes. This means that parking is only permitted in designated parking bays - the remainder of the kerbside space is subject to yellow line restrictions. CPZs can also be used to allow more free-flowing traffic through town centres, particularly where parking causes problems for the emergency services. To find out more information about controlled parking zones in your area, contact your local council. In law, CPZs don't even exist but are "creatures of statute" and, in order to be enforceable, should comply with rigidly laid down road marking regulations In order to meet the definition of a CPZ, there must be no road marking whatsoever within them, except signs indicating parking spaces and yellow lines The presence of any other road markings at any point in the CPZ - including zig-zag lines or yellow bus stop clearways - render the entire CPZ invalid Controlled Parking Zone rules Entrance and exit signs show the hours during which all on-street parking is controlled Parking is only permitted in designated parking spaces, the remainder of the kerbside is subject to yellow line restrictions Single yellow lines prohibit parking during the hours of control, double yellow lines prohibit parking at any time Some single yellow lines have signs showing different, usually longer, operation times Parking during the permitted hours may be free or charged What does this mean?  Controlled
Parking Zone signs are probably the most important signs to understand when parking,
as they indicate a Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ). In a CPZ all parking is controlled. There are no unrestricted parking areas in a CPZ; every bay is reserved for a specific purpose. When parking in a bay in a CPZ, always check for the sign or bay markings stating what parking is allowed in that bay. The times on the CPZ sign indicate when parking regulations are in force. If the times in an individual bay are different, the times will be shown on the sign by the bay. There may be different types of bays on the same street, so always check the signs or markings next to the bay you are occupying to see what type of bay you are in. The CPZ includes all streets past the entry sign until you see a CPZ ends sign. As a rule of thumb, if there are resident parking bays or pay and display bays in a street, that street is inside a CPZ. What happens if I park in a CPZ when the restrictions are in force? The times on the sign show when single yellow lines and parking bays are enforced. If you park on single yellow lines within these times, or in a pay and display bay without making a payment etc., you may receive a Penalty Charge Notice. All double yellow lines are enforced 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and some individual parking spaces, including resident bays, may have their own timeplates indicating the hours of enforcement that are different from the CPZ hours. Always check signs when you park. How does a CPZ work?
Sometimes, yellow line restrictions within a CPZ operate for longer than the controlled hours and, if this is the case, there will be signs on the kerb or pavement giving the hours of restriction. The only exception to this is double yellow line restrictions, which always operate "at any time" (24 hours a day, seven days a week) and do not require a sign plate to indicate when they are in force. General parking regulations for controlled zones can be found here. What types of CPZ are there? The council's Technical Services Department is responsible for the design, operation and regular reviews of the of these schemes. There are two main types of parking control; all-day restrictions and one-hour restrictions and a CPZ can be made up of a mixture of the two. You can report parking contraventions online
Where are the CPZs? These can be found in most big towns and cities Iinformation courtesy of Wandsworth Council |
