Exemption for hearse on waiting and loading prohibition

Fri, 18 Jul 2025 12:49:51 GMT

We have a stretch of road that will have new off-peak loading bays introduced. During peak hours a waiting and loading prohibition will apply. A funeral directors is on this same stretch of road and they have requested that they can continue to load a hearse during peak hours. We are happy to accommodate this.

I understand we can include an exemption in the TRO but I wondered whether the TSRGD allows some kind of wording that would give the effect of "no waiting/loading except hearse". If not, has anyone sought authorisation from DfT for something similar?

Fri, 18 Jul 2025 12:57:30 GMT

Be really interested in replies to this, we have a very similar situation.

Fri, 18 Jul 2025 13:34:18 GMT

TSRGD doesn't permit "Except hearses" in the yellow (no waiting) panel.

It does permit it in the middle white panel, but you'd need to include a "P" (S4-4-2) to do so. Absent the "P", I think you'd need to get it authorised. I'd imagine DfT would be happy to do so, it's not unreasonable.

Fri, 18 Jul 2025 14:50:51 GMT

Does it need to be signed at all? Statutory exemptions (like Royal Mail, public utility vehicles, breakdown and recovery vehicles) are not signed. If the TRO includes a exemption for vehicles being used for funerals and weddings, as many did when I wrote TRO, then providing those vehicles are 'in active use' as opposed to simply being parked or waiting then they will be exempt and no signs are required. No need to seek a special authorisation in my opinion. It's not required from my recollection and understanding. On a general note, I believe that over time we have made parking signs and enforcement contraventions too detailed and complex. Simplicity underpins compliance. In this case, No Waiting 0700-1830, No Loading 0700-1000 and 1630 to 1830. Loading only 1000-1630.

Fri, 18 Jul 2025 15:02:31 GMT

Doesn't need to be signed with the specific 'except hearses'.... Your enforcement Officers will know hearses are exempt. The Funeral Directors can be informed that their hearses are exempt. YOU and your team and you Contact Centre will know they're exempt when you get calls about them being parked there (which I suspect is unlikely)... and it's a fairly standard exemption on waiting TROs anyway. Presumably the Funeral Directors are not keeping the hearses parked up there overnight or long-term, it's just while they are 'in use' and so you're just adding words that aren't permitted on that sign diag.. Hopefully when hearses are using the area during the period 10am to 4.30pm on your sign the coffins aren't being loaded into the back with a trolley like the loading symbol mind..

Fri, 18 Jul 2025 15:09:10 GMT

We're thinking about the long-term and the inevitable arguments with parking attendants and confusion over who is and who isn't allowed in the bay. There will be other loading bays with the same restrictions nearby but hearses won't be exempt. So, it would be clearer for all if there was a dedicated sign.

I'm not familiar with the what goes on during the loading of a hearse but I would imagine it involves a bit of waiting around until the coffin can be loaded. So, a hearse may appear not to be in use for a short time.

Fri, 18 Jul 2025 15:09:20 GMT

Agree with A Drysdale, entirely. That's my point. Hearses are usually exempt by default if they are 'in use'. Everyone who needs to know, knows and those that don't would understand a CEO walking on by a hearse. Disagree with S King for the same reasons. They're usually exempt by default everywhere.

Fri, 18 Jul 2025 15:27:43 GMT

Quote:

Originally posted by S. King:
We're thinking about the long-term and the inevitable arguments with parking attendants and confusion over who is and who isn't allowed in the bay. There will be other loading bays with the same restrictions nearby but hearses won't be exempt. So, it would be clearer for all if there was a dedicated sign.

I'm not familiar with the what goes on during the loading of a hearse but I would imagine it involves a bit of waiting around until the coffin can be loaded. So, a hearse may appear not to be in use for a short time.

Not entirely sure why your enforcement officers would be confused? If they were, then I'd suggest a quick toolbox talk on their weekly briefing would be an opportunity to remind them (assuming in-house enforcement) ...but even if enforcement is contracted out the managers of that agency should be able to brief their officers on the basics of enforcement. It saves getting a mention in the Daily Mail when officers slap a PCN on a hearse and your Parking team or the Portfolio Holder for Highways has the embarrassment of explaining it was an error. The standard blanket exemption in the Articles of a TRO allows police and fire and ambulance and utility companies making emergency repairs etc etc to park where they need to in the course of their duties, provided they aren't presenting a danger to road users.... hopefully they don't get confused about that as well? In any case I'm not entirely sure why the undertakers would want to use the nearby loading bay unless they needed to, or why it would be a problem if they did.

Fri, 18 Jul 2025 15:27:44 GMT

duplicate

Fri, 18 Jul 2025 20:07:40 GMT

Except 'authorised vehicles' will be a permitted term in TSRGD and the TRO would specify the type of vehicle exempt. That way the civil enforcement officer only needs to know that hearses are exempt at the particular location.