When Can You Stop on a Clearway? Clearways, Red Routes and Yellow Lines Explained

"When may you stop on a clearway?" has been climbing in UK searches this week. My guess is a lot of people are meeting it in mock tests and second-guessing themselves. Fair enough: the answer depends on which kind of clearway the question means, and the theory test expects you to know the difference.

A clearway means no stopping at all

Rule 240 of the Highway Code's waiting and parking rules says you MUST NOT stop or park on a clearway. That includes dropping a friend off or pulling in for thirty seconds. Clearways exist to keep traffic moving, and a quick stop still blocks a lane.

The sign is a blue circle with a red border and a red diagonal cross. In the Highway Code traffic signs section it is labelled "No stopping (Clearway)". Learners often mix it up with the "No waiting" sign, which has a single red diagonal line instead of a cross. A simple way to remember it: one line, no waiting; a cross, no stopping at all.

Urban clearways have one exception

An urban clearway works differently. During its hours of operation, Rule 240 says you must not stop on it except to pick up or set down passengers. The sign carries the same red cross on blue, together with the times the restriction applies.

So the answer to the question learners keep searching is: on an urban clearway, during its hours, you may stop only to let passengers get in or out. You can't wait there for them, load shopping, or park up while you nip somewhere. Outside the times shown, the restriction does not apply.

In mock tests, look for the word "urban" in the question. If it is there, the passengers answer is almost certainly the right one. If the question just says "clearway", the answer is that you should not stop at all.

Other places Rule 240 says you MUST NOT stop

Clearways are one item on a longer list. Under the same rule you must not stop or park on:

A pedestrian crossing, including the zig-zag lines either side of it. This catches people who pull over just past a crossing to drop someone off, which is exactly where pedestrians are trying to see and be seen. Our guide to telling UK crossings apart covers the zig-zags in more detail.

A road marked with double white lines, even if the broken line is on your side. Here, though, you may stop to pick up or set down passengers, or to load or unload goods. The overtaking rules explain what those lines mean while you are moving.

Taxi bays marked by signs and road markings, a tram or cycle lane during its hours of operation, a cycle track, and the carriageway, emergency area or hard shoulder of a motorway except in an emergency.

Red lines on a red route, unless signs say otherwise. Rule 247 adds that on red routes, specially marked and signed bays show where and when you can load and unload.

Bus lanes are the odd one out. Rule 240 says any vehicle may enter a bus lane to stop, load or unload where this is not prohibited, so check the signs rather than assuming. Our post on bus lanes, cycle lanes and tram signs goes through those in full.

Yellow lines and the "should not" list

Rule 238 says you MUST NOT wait or park on yellow lines during the times shown on nearby plates. Double yellow lines mean no waiting at any time, even with no upright sign nearby. You also MUST NOT stop to pick up or drop off on school entrance markings when signs prohibit stopping.

Rule 243 is the "do not" list, and it is a favourite source of theory questions. Do not stop or park within 10 metres (32 feet) of a junction unless it is an authorised space, near the brow of a hill or a hump bridge, on a bend, on the approach to a level crossing, at or near a bus stop, tram stop or taxi rank, near a school entrance, opposite a traffic island, or where the kerb has been lowered for wheelchair users. If you can't remember the list, think about who you'd be blocking or hiding. Nearly every item is a place where a parked car stops someone seeing, or being seen.

Two night-time parking rules worth memorising

Rule 248 says you MUST NOT park on a road at night facing against the traffic unless you are in a recognised parking space. Rule 250 lets cars park without lights on roads with a limit of 30 mph or less, as long as they are at least 10 metres from a junction, close to the kerb and facing the direction of traffic. Above 30 mph, Rule 249 says parking lights are required. That 10 metres figure comes up twice in these rules, so it's worth learning once.

Practise the ones that trip you up

Stopping and parking questions are short, and the wording does the work: "clearway" or "urban clearway", "must not" or "should not". Doing a batch of them under test conditions is the fastest way I know to stop guessing. Theory Test Passed is DVSA licensed and has the full revision question bank, on the web and in the app for iPhone and Android.