Contravention Code 99 — Stopped on a Pedestrian Crossing or Crossing Area Marked by Zig-Zag Lines

Last updated: March 2026

Stopping on a pedestrian crossing is a serious contravention that puts pedestrian safety at risk. Code 99 covers all types of pedestrian crossings and carries a higher-level penalty. However, congestion, breakdowns, and other circumstances outside your control can form valid grounds for appeal.

What Does Code 99 Mean?

Contravention code 99 is a higher-level contravention issued when a vehicle stops on or within the zig-zag lines of a pedestrian crossing. This includes zebra crossings, pelican crossings, puffin crossings, toucan crossings, and any other signal-controlled pedestrian crossing. The prohibition covers both the crossing itself and the white zig-zag markings on either side. The penalty is £70 outside London or £130 in London, with a 50% discount for early payment.

Types of Crossings Covered

• Zebra crossings: Marked with black and white stripes and belisha beacons (flashing orange globes). Zig-zag lines extend from both sides.
• Pelican crossings: Signal-controlled with push-button activation and a flashing amber phase.
• Puffin crossings: Similar to pelican crossings but with sensors that detect pedestrians and adjust the signal timing.
• Toucan crossings: Shared crossings for pedestrians and cyclists.

The zig-zag lines indicate a controlled area where stopping, waiting, and parking are prohibited. The lines serve a dual purpose: preventing parked vehicles from obscuring visibility for pedestrians and drivers, and keeping the crossing area clear.

Common Defences

Stopped Due to Traffic Congestion

This is the most frequently raised defence for code 99. If you stopped on the crossing because traffic ahead had come to a standstill — not because you chose to stop there — you may have a valid defence. The law recognises a difference between voluntarily stopping on a crossing and being caught there by traffic conditions beyond your control. However, the Highway Code advises drivers not to enter a crossing unless their exit is clear, so this defence works best if the congestion was sudden or unexpected (for example, caused by an accident ahead).

Vehicle Breakdown

If your vehicle broke down on or near the crossing and you could not move it, this is a strong mitigating defence. Provide evidence of the breakdown — recovery service receipts, mechanic invoices, or roadside assistance records. The PCN should be cancelled if you can demonstrate the vehicle was immobilised through no fault of your own and you took reasonable steps to move it as soon as possible.

Zig-Zag Lines Not Visible

The zig-zag markings must be clearly painted and visible. If the lines were so faded, covered by road works, or obscured by debris that a reasonable motorist would not have recognised them, the restriction may be unenforceable. Photograph the condition of the markings as soon as possible.

Directed to Stop by a Police Officer or Lollipop Person

If you were directed to stop in the crossing area by a police officer, traffic warden, or school crossing patrol, this overrides the zig-zag restriction. Provide details of who directed you and the circumstances.

Emergency Circumstances

If you stopped to avoid an accident, to respond to a medical emergency, or because of an emergency involving your vehicle or passengers, this can form a defence. Provide as much detail and supporting evidence as possible.

CCTV Evidence Deficiencies

Many code 99 PCNs are issued based on CCTV footage. Request the full footage and check whether it clearly shows your vehicle stationary on the crossing or zig-zag lines. If the footage only shows your vehicle passing through the crossing in moving traffic, or if the zig-zag markings are not visible in the footage, challenge the evidence.

What Are Your Chances of Success?

Code 99 appeals are among the more difficult parking contraventions to overturn because the safety implications are significant and adjudicators take them seriously. However, congestion and breakdown defences do succeed when properly evidenced. The key factors are whether you stopped voluntarily (weak appeal) or involuntarily (strong appeal), and whether the zig-zag markings were visible and compliant. At the Traffic Penalty Tribunal, adjudicators will want to see clear evidence that the contravention was beyond your control.

Related Guides

• How to Appeal a Council Parking Ticket (PCN)
• Traffic Penalty Tribunal — How It Works
• Contravention Code 48 — Stopped Outside a School
• Contravention Code 47 — Stopped on a Bus Stop