Exit was clear when you entered the yellow box

The rule is in the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016, Schedule 9, Part 7, paragraph 11(1): a person must not cause a vehicle to enter the box junction so that the vehicle has to stop within the box junction due to the presence of stationary vehicles. That rule is subject to the exceptions in the same paragraph. A vehicle with only part of it in the box still counts as stopped in the box (paragraph 11(7)). The Highway Code (rule 174) puts the rule for drivers simply: you must not enter the box until your exit road or lane is clear. So this argument fits if your exit road or lane was clear when you drove in, and you only had to stop because of something unexpected that happened after that, for example the traffic ahead stopping suddenly, another vehicle cutting in, or a pedestrian stepping out. For England outside London, the Department for Transport's statutory guidance to councils says the contravention "can only occur due to circumstances present when a vehicle enters the box, and not as the result of anything unexpected occurring subsequently". It does not fit if, when you drove in, there was not enough clear space beyond the box for your vehicle because traffic there had already stopped. It is your account for the council to check against its own footage, so it is not a guaranteed win.

Legal basis

TSRGD 2016 Schedule 9 Part 7 para 11 (the prohibition conveyed by the item 25 box junction marking); Highway Code rule 174 (guidance); Traffic Management Act 2004 Part 6; for London: London Local Authorities and Transport for London Act 2003 s.4

How to identify this in your case

Review council CCTV. Look for: was exit clear at moment of entry? Did unexpected event cause obstruction?

Sample appeal wording

Before you send this

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Sample wording to adapt and send yourself — it may not fit your notice or the stage you are at. Replace the bracketed prompts with your own details; leave any case citation as it is.

Dear Sir/Madam, Re: PCN [NUMBER] — Yellow Box Junction — [LOCATION] — [DATE] I challenge this PCN. The contravention did not occur. For a box junction at a junction between roads, the prohibition (Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016, Schedule 9, Part 7, paragraph 11(1), subject to the exceptions in that paragraph) is on causing a vehicle to enter the box junction so that it has to stop within it due to the presence of stationary vehicles. It is not a 'no stopping in box' rule. At the moment of entry the exit was clearly visible and unobstructed. Council CCTV at [TIME MARK] will show: - T-3 sec: clear exit - T entry: clear exit The contravention is therefore not established. Please cancel. Yours faithfully, [NAME]

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Exit was clear when you entered the yellow box

Legal basis

How to identify this in your case

Sample appeal wording

Beat It writes this argument automatically

Sources

Related appeal grounds

Next steps