PCN code 99: stopped on a pedestrian crossing or crossing area marked by zig-zags
Code 99 is for stopping on a zebra, pelican, puffin or similar crossing, or on the white zig-zag lines on either side of it (the "controlled area"). It is a safety rule and the ban is close to absolute, but the regulations do list exceptions, and some of them fit everyday driving.
What code 99 means
99: Stopped on a pedestrian crossing or crossing area marked by zig-zags
Standard wording as published in council code lists: Knowsley Council and Wandsworth Council. Some councils use slightly different wording or add a letter suffix to the code.
Schedule 14 Part 5 of the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016 says a driver must not cause a vehicle, or any part of it, to stop in a crossing's controlled area. The Highway Code (rule 240) repeats this. Code 99 is enforced by civil enforcement officers as a parking contravention, and it is a higher level code.
The controlled area is the stretch marked by the white zig-zag lines, usually on both sides of the crossing. The rule covers the vehicle "or any part of it", so a vehicle with only its front or rear over the first zig-zag is within the area. Photos taken square to the kerb show this better than photos taken at an angle.
How much it costs
| Where | Penalty | If paid within the discount period |
|---|---|---|
| England outside London (council's band 1 or band 2) | £60 or £70 | £30 or £35 |
| London (band A or band B, from 7 April 2025) | £160 or £140 | £80 or £70 |
This is a higher level code. Outside London the bands are set by Schedule 3 to SI 2022/71; London levels are set for all boroughs together. If a charge certificate is issued, the penalty goes up by 50%. The amount printed on your PCN is the one that applies to you: if it does not match the published level for your area, that is itself a ground for representations.
The exceptions
The 2016 Regulations allow a driver to stop in the controlled area:
- to give way to a pedestrian on a zebra crossing;
- to obey a traffic light signal, or the direction of a police officer, traffic officer or traffic warden;
- when prevented from moving by circumstances beyond the driver's control, or to avoid injury or damage;
- when stopped for the purpose of making a left or right turn;
- for emergency services, blood service and certain public bodies;
- for building, road or utility works that cannot be done without stopping there;
- for a local bus or other public service vehicle picking up or setting down passengers, having already passed the crossing.
There is no exception for dropping off passengers in a private car, or for loading.
Situations where code 99 is issued
- A driver stopped on the zig-zags to drop someone at a shop next to the crossing.
- A van stopped for a delivery because it was the only space on the street.
- A car was waiting to turn into a side road within the zig-zag area.
- A car was stuck in queuing traffic over the zig-zags.
Grounds and evidence that fit code 99
- The contravention did not occur: an exception applied (for example, held in queuing traffic, or stopped to turn), or the vehicle was not within the zig-zags.
- Evidence: dashcam footage showing traffic conditions; photos of the junction or entrance you were turning into; the officer's photos and notes showing whether the vehicle was occupied and whether the driver was present.
Common pitfalls
An officer usually issues code 99 to a vehicle that has been left, or is clearly waiting, not one held in moving traffic. If the vehicle was empty, "I was in a queue" will not fit the facts. The PCN is normally fixed to the vehicle or handed to the driver; if the driver drove away before it could be served, the council may send it by post instead.
Deadlines for this PCN
This code is usually issued by a civil enforcement officer, with the PCN fixed to the vehicle or handed to the driver. The clock runs from the dates on your notices, and post is treated as served on the second working day after posting (SI 2022/71 reg 3).
| Stage | Time limit |
|---|---|
| Discounted payment | 14 days, beginning with the day the PCN was served |
| Informal challenge | Any time before a Notice to Owner; challenging inside the 14 days keeps the discount question open, and councils should consider re-offering it if they reject an early challenge |
| Notice to Owner | Can be sent once 28 days pass without payment, and normally within 6 months (reg 20) |
| Formal representations | 28 days, beginning with the day the Notice to Owner is served |
| Council's decision | 56 days from receiving your representations, or they are treated as accepted (SI 2022/576 reg 6) |
| Appeal to the tribunal | 28 days, beginning with the day the Notice of Rejection is served (reg 7) |
The dates printed on your own notices set your deadlines; where the count is in doubt, work to the earlier date. Our stage-by-stage guide to council PCNs explains each stage, and the one-page PCN deadlines checklist has space to write your own dates.
Questions people ask about code 99
- Can I stop on the zig-zags to let someone out?
- No. The 2016 Regulations do not include an exception for private cars setting down passengers in a crossing's controlled area.
- I was stuck in traffic on the zig-zags. Is that a contravention?
- Stopping because the traffic ahead has stopped, which is beyond your control, is one of the listed exceptions. Dashcam footage is the most useful evidence.
- Can I wait on the zig-zags to turn into a side road?
- The Regulations allow stopping in the controlled area for the purpose of making a left or right turn.
- Is code 99 higher or lower level?
- Higher level. Outside London that is £60 or £70 depending on the council's band, halved if paid within the discount period.
Related codes: Code 47: bus stop · Code 48: school keep clear · Code 27: dropped kerb · All contravention codes
Last checked 23 October 2026. Sources: Knowsley Council, Standard PCN codes: on-street; Wandsworth Council, PCN contravention codes (London levels); TSRGD 2016, Schedule 14 Part 5 (crossing controlled areas); The Highway Code, rules 238 to 252 (waiting and parking); SI 2022/71 reg 10 (postal PCNs); SI 2022/71 Schedule 3 (penalty bands outside London); Wandsworth Council, London-wide penalty charge changes from 7 April 2025; SI 2022/71 (General Provisions Regulations 2022); SI 2022/576 reg 5 (grounds for representations); Traffic Penalty Tribunal; London Tribunals. General information about council enforcement in England, not legal advice about your ticket. Wales has its own regulations; Scotland and Northern Ireland have different systems.