School parking rules – everything parents needs to know

Roads outside schools are often packed with cars at drop-off and pick-up time, and frazzled parents may be tempted to stop wherever they can find a space.

But the Highway Code sets out a number of places where drivers “must not stop or park”, while other restrictions depend on road markings and signs.

Here is what parents need to know before pulling up outside the school gates.

Can you park on single yellow lines outside a school?

Not necessarily.

Under Highway Code Rule 238, drivers “must not wait or park on yellow lines during the times shown on nearby signs or zone entry signs”.

Double yellow lines mean waiting is prohibited “at any time”, even if there are no upright signs.

Parents should therefore check the signs and road markings rather than assuming they can stop because other cars are parked there.

Can you stop on the school entrance markings?

This is one of the biggest things parents need to watch out for.

Drivers “must not wait or park, or stop to set down or pick up passengers, on school entrance markings when upright signs indicate a prohibition of stopping”.

That means pulling onto the marked area for a quick drop-off is not automatically allowed.

Where should parents park instead?

Walking or cycling is obviously the best option, but if you have to drive, the Highway Code says drivers should use “off-street parking areas or marked parking bays wherever possible”.

If you have to stop at the roadside, you should:

• Park with the flow of traffic rather than facing against it.
• Stop as close as possible to the side of the road.
• Switch off the engine, headlights and fog lights.
• Apply the handbrake before leaving the vehicle.
• Make sure you do not obstruct other road users.
• Check carefully before opening your door.
• Where possible, children should get out on the side next to the kerb.
• Make sure the vehicle is secure before leaving it.

Where can you NOT park near a school?

Rule 243 says drivers “should not stop or park near a school entrance”.

There are also a number of other locations where drivers should not stop or park, including:

• Anywhere that would prevent access for emergency services
• At or near a bus or tram stop or taxi rank
• On the approach to a level crossing or tramway crossing
• Opposite or within 10 metres (32 feet) of a junction, unless in an authorised parking space
• Near the brow of a hill or hump bridge
• Opposite a traffic island
• Where you would obstruct cyclists
• Where the kerb has been lowered to help wheelchair users and powered mobility vehicles
• In front of a property entrance
• On a bend
• Where you would force other traffic into a tram lane

There is an exception where a driver is forced to stop because of stationary traffic.

Can parents park on the pavement?

No. It should always be avoided as it is dangerous and makes it harder for wheelchairs and buggies to use the pavement.

In London and Scotland, “drivers must not park partially or wholly on the pavement, except in limited circumstances”.

Elsewhere, drivers “should not park on the pavement unless signs specifically permit it”.

The Highway Code warns that pavement parking can obstruct pedestrians, wheelchair users, people with visual impairments and those with prams or pushchairs.

That makes blocking the pavement outside a school particularly problematic during busy drop-off and pick-up times.

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What about pedestrian crossings?

Drivers “must not stop or park on a pedestrian crossing”, including the area marked by the zig-zag lines.

This is another area parents should avoid when looking for somewhere to pull up.

Can you park in a disabled or residents’ space?

Only if you are entitled to use it.

Rule 241 states that drivers “must not park in spaces reserved for specific users”, including Blue Badge holders, residents or motorcycles, unless they are entitled to do so.

Parents should not assume a space is available simply because it is empty during the school run.

What about double parking?

Leaving a car alongside another parked vehicle can cause serious obstruction.

In Scotland, drivers must not double park, except in limited circumstances.

More generally, Rule 242 says drivers must not leave a vehicle or trailer in a dangerous position or where it causes “unnecessary obstruction of the road”.

Father walking his daughter to school (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The key school-run parking rule

The safest option is to avoid stopping directly outside the school gates unless the road markings and signs clearly allow it.

Drivers should look for a legal parking bay, off-street parking or another suitable place away from the entrance, then walk the remaining distance if necessary.

A quick drop-off might seem harmless, but yellow lines, school entrance markings, junctions, crossings and restricted spaces can all come with specific rules.

Checking the signs and road markings before getting out of the car can help parents avoid an unnecessary parking problem during the school run.