In the United Kingdom, what does a single yellow line at the roadside restrict?

In the United Kingdom, a single yellow line at the roadside restricts waiting during the times shown on nearby signs.

The line is a waiting restriction rather than an automatic ban on every brief stop. The permitted and prohibited hours are normally displayed on a sign nearby, although some controlled parking zones use entry signs to communicate the restriction. Outside the stated hours, the single yellow line may have no waiting restriction unless another rule applies.

Waiting restrictions concern leaving a vehicle stationary, but separate rules can apply to loading, unloading, picking up passengers, and parking. Drivers must read the accompanying signs and check for marked loading restrictions, which can be shown by yellow kerb markings.

Single yellow lines are often confused with double yellow lines. Double yellow lines generally prohibit waiting at any time, while a single line depends on the signed hours. Neither marking alone answers every question about parking bays, disabled bays, bus stops, or local loading rules, so the road signs and markings must be considered together.