Parking restriction sign: 3 hours, no return within 4 hours

[Carolineth]

How would you interpret the attached sign?

Could I park at 4pm at then pick up my car at 11am the next day? Or do I have to move the car inbetween the two 3 hour periods?

I can see why you'd query it, but no, I wouldn't leave my car for that period without moving it. Asking for a ticket.

I think the intention is that you would move it, but unless it's in a private car park with anpr cameras (which I'm assuming it's not because it looks like a road sign) they realistically have no idea if you moved it or not as no wardens are going to be coming round overnight!

No I wouldn’t leave it there that long, I believe after 7pm then you can leave the car but would need moved before 8am.

Tricky! I think you’d probably be ok doing what you suggested, simply because they won’t have anyone patrolling after 7pm. But it’s a risk. What a crap sign.

You would be fine after 7pm but I would move it before 8am. Not necessarily correct but that's my interpretation

This is very similar to the restrictions on our road, and they count it from 8am each day so we wouldn't be given a ticket until after 11am even if we'd been parked there overnight

I think so.

We have some paid parking places like that where it’s payable say 8am-6pm. If I put 2hrs on at 4.30pm it validates my ticket to 8.30am the next day

I think it would be okay, but I wouldn’t test it personally just in case.

But still…I think it would be okay…🤔.

I think what you are proposing is ok. Those restrictions are there to stop people parking all day - hence the 3 hour max an no return within 4 hours during the restricted period. You'd be parking there for 3 hours during the restricted period on one day and 3 hours during the restricted period on the next day. That's within the rules.

You're fine. To enforce it the parking wardens would have to patrol overnight, at least every four hours, to note it was still there at every 4 hourly interval. They're not going to do that, so they have no proof at all that you didn't leave for 4 hours overnight. Without proof, they can't raise a valid penalty notice.

The question is, could a traffic warden prove that you didn't move your car at 7pm and repark in the same spot after 11pm?
They are unlikely to patrol between 7pm and 8am as there are no restrictions. Buy if there's a camera then the evidence would be there.

I see this as saying “between 8am and 7pm, the restriction applies”. Outside this time, no restriction. So I would say you’d be fine to park at 4pm, and no need to move until 11am.

It's saying between those hours you can park for 3 hours only.
Then once gone you can't use it again until you have been away for 4 hours to stop people just pulling out and then going round the town and pulling back in again for another stay.
These bays are usually short stay and I wouldn't leave my car over the 3 hours even after the "open" times.

My street has similar restrictions and what you said is correct. Park at 4pm and no need to leave until 11am next day. It's to stop commuters parking there all day. If you leave at 11am, you can't return until 3pm.

Yep - you can park 4pm to 11am according to that sign👍

The restrictions are in place between 8am and 7pm. So between those hours you can only park for 3 hours before moving and returning 4 hours later.

There are no restrictions over night and no one will be checking.

So yes, you can park 4-7 on one day, leave your car there overnight, park for another 3 hours from 8am during the restricted hours.

Thank you for all the replies - emboldened by the advice that they werent going to check exact timings I parked at 4:30 yesterday afternoon and picked the car up at just after 11 this morning. There was no ticket or other notice on the car so I preume I am safe!.