Parked in a restricted street during prescribed hoursThe official national descriptor for code 01, as published in the Department for Transport statutory guidance list.
The letter after the number on your ticket
Codes are often written with a suffix — 01a rather than just 01. The letter narrows the allegation, and it tells you what the council actually says went wrong. These are the suffixes code 01 can carry:
| a | temporary traffic order |
| j | camera enforcement |
| o | blue badge holder |
| y | obscured or illegible badge |
| z | out of date badge |
On code 01 the letters y and z are used for Blue Badge contraventions only, and j can only be used where there is also a mandatory cycle lane at the location.
What the council has to be able to show
An appeal is not an apology, it is a challenge to the council’s case. For code 01 that case rests on:
- A valid traffic order covering that exact length of road.
- Yellow lines in a condition a driver could reasonably see.
- For a single yellow, a time plate stating the hours. Double yellows need no plate where the ban is at all times.
Where code 01 tickets go wrong
Yellow lines restrict waiting, not loading. Unless there are kerb blips and a loading plate (that is code 02), loading and unloading is normally allowed. Civil enforcement officers are expected to observe before issuing where loading may be happening.
A displayed Blue Badge with the clock set generally allows up to three hours on yellow lines outside certain central London boroughs. If the badge was there, say so and attach a copy of both sides.
Single yellow lines are unenforceable without signage stating the hours. Photograph the nearest plate in both directions from where you parked, and photograph the gap if there is not one.
Councils lose these. You can ask for a copy of the traffic regulation order and the plan that goes with it.
The ten-minute grace period does not apply here. It covers parking places, not waiting restrictions — a point plenty of sites get wrong. If you were on a yellow line, do not build an appeal on it.
What to gather before you write
- Photos of the lines directly under and around the vehicle.
- Photos of the nearest time plate in both directions, showing how far away it is.
- Delivery notes, receipts or job sheets if loading.
- Both sides of the Blue Badge and the clock, if one was displayed.
Code 01 questions, answered
Can I stop on a yellow line to load or unload?
Usually yes. Yellow lines restrict waiting, not loading. Unless there are kerb blips and a plate banning loading, you may stop to load or unload for as long as the activity continuously takes. A civil enforcement officer should observe before issuing, so if you were carrying goods in or out, say exactly what you were moving, where to, and how long it took.
What does contravention code 01 mean?
Parked in a restricted street during prescribed hours. In plain terms: You were parked on a single or double yellow line at a time when waiting was prohibited. It is the most-issued code in the country.
How much is a code 01 penalty?
Code 01 sits in the higher band, so it carries the more expensive of the two rates that council uses. Outside London that is commonly around £70; in London it is £160 in Band A or £140 in Band B. Half is normally taken off if you pay within 14 days, and your notice states the actual figures.
Your notice is definitive. This page explains the national code. Councils use extra codes and local suffixes, and the wording printed on your own notice always takes precedence. Check the deadline on the notice before you do anything else — the discount usually runs out after 14 days.
Other codes
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