Red routes are major roads in urban areas of the United Kingdom, on which vehicles are not permitted to stop. This includes stopping for loading or unloading, and boarding or alighting from a vehicle (except for licensed taxis and the holders of blue badges).[1] Red routes are mainly used on major bus and commuting routes.
Red routes are marked with red lines at the sides of the road. Double red lines mean that the regulations apply at all times and on all days. Single red lines means that the prohibition applies during times displayed on nearby signs or at the entry to the zone.[1] Red route clearways are signed but there are no lines on the road. Stopping is only permitted in lay-bys (red lines are only marked at junctions).[2]
In London, red routes are policed by "Red Route Patrols" and managed by London Streets, an arm of Transport for London. Similar schemes operate in Birmingham[3] and Edinburgh, the latter being known as "Greenways".[4]
In Somerset, the local road safety partnership have designated some of the A roads within the county as "Red Routes", but in this case it means that it is a route that has a higher than average accident rate.[5]