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Highway Code

Please visit the online Highway Code website for more detailed information regarding road markings and signage.

Access Protection Markings

Bournemouth Borough Council can sometimes provide access protection markings, at a property owner's expense, which may help to prevent vehicles parking across private access ways.

This marking comprises of an elongated “H” marking on the carriageway.  Its function is to alert drivers to the fact that there is a private access at that point which must be kept clear.

This type of roadmarking is not enforceable but does serve to highlight that any vehicle parking there is creating an obstruction - which can be dealt with by the police.

Before an access protection marking can be undertaken, the property owner must have an approved dropped crossing and hard standing where their vehicle is parked. Please click here to find out more.

Request for Cycle Lanes & Routes

Bournemouth Borough Council has a rolling programme aimed at improving facilities for cycle users across the borough.

Most cycle lanes are provided on an “advisory” basis.  This means that motorists may also enter them but should try to avoid doing so.  Some lanes, however, are mandatory which means that they are for cyclists only and these require a traffic regulation order and it is an offence for other traffic to enter. Within Bournemouth, cyclists can also use bus lanes. 

Signs & Nameplates on the Highway

We're always pleased to receive details of damaged or missing road signs (including street nameplates). Please use the contact details below or complete an online form to get in touch.

The council installs signs to regulate traffic and to provide warnings to drivers of hazards ahead.

The signs that may be used on the public highway are controlled by government regulations, covering the designs of the signs, where they can be used and whether they must be illuminated.

The council is frequently asked to install additional signs showing that there is a 30mph speed limit in residential roads. Under current regulations, however, it is not permitted to provide repeater 30mph signs in roads with streetlights.

Drivers are expected to be familiar with the Highway Code, which states that the presence of streetlights not more than 185m apart indicates the existence of a 30mph speed limit, unless signs show a different limit.

The council will provide direction signs under certain circumstances to destinations off the public highway, which strangers to the area may visit regularly. 

Yellow lines on the Highway

There are various types of yellow lines that are marked on the road or edge of the pavement/kerb that indicate waiting restrictions.

Loading and unloading? What is a waiting restriction? Restrictions vary from 'no waiting at any time' to 'day time waiting restrictions', which are indicated by time plates. The time plates show when the restrictions are enforced.

Limited waiting restrictions are indicated by a white box marking and loading restrictions are indicated by yellow lines on the side of the pavement/kerb.

Double yellow lines no longer require a “no waiting” signplate, they can be enforced without signage.

Traffic Regulation Order Parking restrictions require a traffic regulation order and are installed to improve road safety and reduce congestion. In general terms the order making process requires a decision by the Council Panel that the order is needed. At this time the order is advertised and people are given 21 days to object to its installation. At the end of this period a report is taken back to the Panel which details the objections and they determine whether or not to introduce it.

If they decide that the order should be introduced the required works (lining, signing etc) are implemented and then the order is “sealed”. Seven days later it can be enforced.