Road Markings

[derrynoose]

Is it legal to drive in the hatching which one sees in the middle of carriageways where, say , a right-hand turn is coming up? I had thought that it isn't but I have seen hatching which had a broken white line inside one of the continuous white lines bounding the hatching. Could it be the case that hatching is a means of widening the space between two continuous white lines while still retaining the restrictions which continuous white lines normally impose?

[THECORBYLOON]

Rule 130 of The Highway Code states

130
Areas of white diagonal stripes or chevrons painted on the road. These are to separate traffic lanes or to protect traffic turning right.

if the area is bordered by a broken white line, you should not enter the area unless it is necessary and you can see that it is safe to do so

if the area is marked with chevrons and bordered by solid white lines you MUST NOT enter it except in an emergency

[Laws MT(E&W)R regs 5, 9, 10 & 16, MT(S)R regs 4, 8, 9 & 14, RTA sect 36 & TSRGD 10(1)]

[shutts763]

In layman terms you should NOT cross or straddle solid white lines, there are exceptions to this, i.e when overtaking a slow moving vehicle travelling at less than 20mph, or when directed to do so by a police officer.

If the hatch markings are bordered by a broken white line you may enter them when safe to do so, but you should not consider entering them on the approach to a junction.

The reason for these hatch markings are usually to create distance between opposing traffic.