Most pedestrian zones let shops receive deliveries early in the morning and late in the evening. Those windows are set out on a plate under the zone entry sign.
Outside the stated hours the zone is closed to all traffic covered by the order.
What this sign means
Vehicles loading or unloading goods may enter the zone during the hours shown. The exemption covers genuine loading only, not parking or waiting.
Some plates limit the exemption to specific vehicle types or to permit holders.
What to do when you see it
Match your reason for entering to the wording on the plate.
- Enter only within the stated hours.
- Load or unload promptly and leave.
- Drive at walking pace and give way to pedestrians.
- Do not use the exemption simply to park closer to the shops.
How this sign is tested
Questions test whether you understand that plates modify the sign above them, and that loading exemptions do not permit parking.
Reading a sign and plate together as one instruction is a recurring theme in the test.
Common mistakes
Entering just before the loading window closes and staying beyond it.
Treating the loading exemption as general access.
Test yourself on this one
Road and traffic signs is the biggest category in the question bank with 102 questions, and signs turn up inside other categories too. Work through them free, no sign-up needed.
Practise road sign questionsFrequently asked questions
Does a loading exemption let me park?
No. It allows loading and unloading only.
How long can I stay while loading?
Only as long as loading genuinely takes. Enforcement officers judge continuous activity.
Do loading hours apply on Sundays?
Only if the plate lists Sunday. Days are always shown.