How do you do this junction?

[bigbob77]

If you're exiting this business park and turning left... Do they expect you to sit behind the gates and use the force to tell when the main road is clear?
If you ignore the yellow box junction and sit there anyway (which you will do, because there's really no choice) - can you technically get a penalty for that?

[Dr Mike Oxgreen]

Forget what it says in the Highway Code, which makes a total dog's dinner of explaining the box junction rules. The actual rule for a box junction is that you must not enter it if doing so will force you to stop in the box due to the presence of stationary vehicles.

So it's simple: if there are no stationary vehicles that will force you to stop in the box, then you enter the box and pull up to the give-way lines. There, you stop (unless of course you can see it's safe to proceed) - by stopping you are not violating the box junction rules because you are not stopping due to the presence of stationary vehicles. If there are moving vehicles preventing you from entering the road, then you continue to wait. Again, if your progress is impeded by moving vehicles then you're not in breach of the box junction.

The Highway Code makes it sound like waiting to turn right is the only circumstance when you're allowed to stop in a box junction (and indeed the law also makes that an explicit exception), but the law is quite clear: the prohibition on stopping applies if it's due to the presence of stationary vehicles. Therefore, you can enter and stop inside the box, provided the reason for stopping isn't due to the presence of stationary vehicles.

The Law said:

SCHEDULE 19
Regulation 29
BUS STOP AND BUS STAND CLEARWAYS AND BOX JUNCTIONS



PART II

SIGNIFICANCE OF BOX JUNCTION MARKINGS

Interpretation of Part II of Schedule
6. In this Part of this Schedule -

(a) "box junction" means the area of carriageway marked with yellow cross-hatching at a junction between two or more roads on which there has been placed the road marking shown in diagram 1043 or 1044; and

(b) a reference (however expressed) to a vehicle which is stationary or stops within a box junction includes a vehicle which is stationary whilst part of it is within the box junction.

Prohibition conveyed by markings in diagram 1043 or 1044
7. - (1) Except when placed in the circumstances described in paragraph 8, the road markings shown in diagrams 1043 and 1044 shall each convey the prohibition that no person shall 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.

(2) The prohibition in sub-paragraph (1) does not apply to any person -

(a) who causes a vehicle to enter the box junction (other than a box junction at a roundabout) for the purpose of turning right; and

(b) stops it within the box junction for so long as it is prevented from completing the right turn by oncoming vehicles or other vehicles which are stationary whilst waiting to complete a right turn.

Prohibition conveyed when markings are placed in conjunction with signs in diagrams 615 and 811
8. When the road marking shown in diagram 1043 or 1044 is placed in conjunction with the signs shown in diagrams 615 and 811 on an area of carriageway which is less than 4.5 metres wide at its narrowest point, the road marking shall convey the prohibition that no person shall cause a vehicle to enter the box junction so that the vehicle has to stop within the box junction due to the presence of oncoming vehicles or other stationary vehicles beyond the box junction

Edited by Dr Mike Oxgreen on Thursday 2nd June 08:51

[Reg Local]

Looks like a private road to me. Although the gates are some distance into the junction, it'll be a road "not repairable at public expense" right up to the give way markings.

Hence - not enforceable.

Please note - this is just my reading of the junction & there are no guarantees of Reg's correctness on this issue.

[Dr Mike Oxgreen]

It's certainly a daft box junction - I can't see what purpose it serves.

Oh, and I think Reg is right - you can tell that entrance is not repairable at public expense, because it's in much better condition than the public part of the road!

[Johnnytheboy]

Let's say it was a public road, my reading would be that you didn't exit the gate if there was stationary traffic on the main road.

[cmaguire]

It's an idiotic box junction.
So I would ignore it completely, whether it's enforceable or not.
At least there is no camera there.