Can you legally park in front of a school in Sheffield? This is what the law says

There have been many complaints about parents parking in front of school gates or on the yellow zig-zag lines outside the schools. 

These lines are there to indicate the length of road where stopping or where stopping or waiting is strictly prohibited. 

Earlier this year, PCSOs, working with parking services, visited St Catherine's School and Abbeyfield School to crackdown on this type of parking. 

And last year, drivers in Sheffield were named as the worst in Yorkshire for parking dangerously and illegally outside schools.

However, ETA have said that the law is '˜far from clear' whether it is legal to stop on yellow zig zag lines. 

If the lines are accompanied by upright signs listing hours of operation, then these will be enforced legally by the local council. 

This could be by the use of camera cars, CCTV or parking wardens who will issue a penalty charge notice. 

But outside of these windows of time, the ETA says drivers are legally permitted to park on the the yellow zig zag lines unless there are single or double yellow lines which indicate otherwise. 

A statement from the ETA read: 'Yellow zig zag lines without signs simply advise motorists not to wait or park on them.

'The local authority does not have the power to issue a penalty charge notice, but to confuse matters even more, the police can issue a ticket for causing an obstruction to either other traffic or pedestrians.'

Of course, double yellow lines painted on the road or on the kerb means parking and waiting are not permitted at any time and could land you with a £70 fine. 

Single yellow lines mean no waiting, parking, loading or unloading at the times shown on the accompanying sign but tend to be lifted during the evenings and weekends.