Stopped where prohibited (on a red route or clearway)The official national descriptor for code 46, 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 — 46n rather than just 46. The letter narrows the allegation, and it tells you what the council actually says went wrong. These are the suffixes code 46 can carry:
| n | red route |
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 46 that case rests on:
- Red lines or clearway signs in force at that time.
- Footage or an officer’s observation of the vehicle stopped.
Where code 46 tickets go wrong
Traffic, an emergency vehicle, a breakdown or a genuine medical emergency are not a voluntary stop. Explain the circumstances and ask for the full footage rather than the still.
Single red lines run only at signed times. Photograph the plate.
Red routes have marked bays where loading or parking is allowed at stated times. Check whether you were inside one.
Permitted on red routes in many circumstances, including for Blue Badge holders. Say who and why.
Always ask for the whole clip. Councils send the few seconds that suit the allegation, and the surrounding footage often shows the queue, the obstruction or the passenger.
What to gather before you write
- Photos of the lines, the plate and any nearby bay markings.
- A written request for the complete video, not the extract.
Code 46 questions, answered
What is the difference between a red route and a yellow line?
A yellow line prohibits waiting. A red route prohibits stopping, which is a higher bar and catches things a yellow line would not, such as pulling over for a phone call. Red routes do have marked bays where loading or parking is allowed at signed times, so check whether you were inside one before you appeal.
What does contravention code 46 mean?
Stopped where prohibited (on a red route or clearway). In plain terms: Red routes and clearways ban stopping, not merely waiting, which is a higher bar than a yellow line. Most are enforced by camera.
How much is a code 46 penalty?
Code 46 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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