THE INS AND OUTS: The rules around Yellow Box Junctions and a helpful little known tip
Updated: Jul 2, 2023
A yellow box junction Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) issued to a taxi driver has caused online debate and sparked the sharing of a wider range of tips and hints on what cabbies should be looking for if fined in similar scenarios.
The London taxi driver shared a picture of his cab picking up passengers on Ludgate Hill in the City of London just a few hundred yards from St Pauls Cathedral. Asking for help and advice as to whether to appeal the PCN, fellow cabbies alerted the driver to a little-known rule when it comes to box junction fines.
According to one well respected cabbie and trade representative, Heather Rawlinson, who has helped hundreds of other drivers with PCN appeals, the driver was NOT committing an offence.
According to Rawlinson, the person must not cause a vehicle to enter the box junction so that the vehicle must stop within the box junction to the presence of stationary vehicles.
It is argued that because the image shows no other vehicles were blocking the exits, there were no stationary vehicles, so the cabbie stopped to pick up.
Many cabbies responded and were surprised by the little-known rule, which does potentially allow cabbies to onboard passengers on junctions with clear exits.
What is a Yellow Box junction and why are they used?
Yellow box junctions are found in most cities and are indicated by criss-cross yellow lines painted on the road. They are usually found at the junction of two or more roads and occasionally at roundabouts or outside fire and ambulance stations. A yellow box junction does not require any other signage.
Yellow box junctions, loading bays and red routes are usually put in place to keep traffic on the roads flowing. Some junctions have raised millions in revenue, much to the frustration of motorists.
What other things should I be looking for on a Yellow Box junction?
Motorists may enter a yellow box junction when the exit is clear and there is enough space on the other side of the junction for their vehicle to clear the box completely without stopping.
Drivers can stop in a yellow box junction when turning right if they are prevented from turning by oncoming traffic, or by other vehicles waiting to turn right.
It’s important that motorists do not simply follow the vehicle in front as it may stop and prevent the motorist’s exit. This is likely to lead to PCN. It’s also important to not let other drivers pressure fellow motorists to enter the box when a clear exit is not available.
