When do the rules for parking on double yellow lines not apply? I note that Hurley’s at Grand Harbour has yellow lines in front of the store, but there are always two or three cars parked (with no-one inside them) on the yellow lines. I saw a police car drive past them this week (having to wait to do so as there was not room for both lanes of traffic) but no ticket. I presume Papa John’s pizza delivery has some sort of special exemption, given they always park there, but this seems odd.


Auntie’s answer: While it may seem that there is wiggle room when it comes to parking at double yellow lines, the law concerning this is really very straightforward. The RCIPS Traffic Management Unit (TMU) stated, “There are no exceptions for parking where there is a yellow line except for a goods vehicle to load or unload for a period of 15 minutes.”

That explanation makes perfect sense, given that the law specifies: “To prevent congestion of traffic in certain areas, the (Police) Commissioner may provide for the painting of yellow lines along the edge of the carriageway, parallel to the curb, and subject to subsection (2), a person who parks a vehicle on such lines or between the road edge and the road center where such lines are painted commits an offence.”

Subsection (2) allows for the aforementioned 15 minutes to load or unload “except in an area set aside for disabled parking or where there is a sign prohibiting the loading and unloading of a vehicle”.

Subsection (4) adds, “A person who parks a vehicle in contravention of indications given under this section commits an offence.”

Seems clear enough, right? However, the TMU representative said that when the lines are in a car park, that can cause confusion because “a lot of officers believe a car park is private property and that the Traffic Law does not apply”.

But the definition of a road is “a public place where a vehicle may be driven or parked and such areas adjacent to that place as may be prescribed”. And a “public place” is defined basically as “a place to which the public has access”.

When you add all that up, the official explained, “all car parks are considered to be roads and parking violations can be enforced”.

In the case of the pizza-delivery vehicles, I think it is safe to conclude that as long as those cars park at the double yellow lines for a maximum of 15 minutes to load up with pizza, then they are not committing an offence under the law.

As for random drivers simply parking their cars for convenience at those lines, they can and should be ticketed.

The law mentioned in this column can be found on the CNS Library