The UK's shortest double yellow lines

More stories like this, please. Residents have been left bemused after council workers painted the shortest double yellow lines in the UK measuring just 13in (33cm).

The two sets of yellow lines, which are shorter than a remote controlled car, were painted between two parking bays in a street in Cambridge.

For our international readers, double yellow lines are simply indicators of 'no parking'.

Motorists will be fined either £50 or £70 if they manage to squeeze on the lines, which were painted in Humberstone Road, West Chesterton, by Cambridgeshire County Council.

"It looks completely farcical, I have no idea why they have painted them there," said local resident David Ellis, 53.

"You would struggle to park a remote controlled car there, let alone a real one."

The double yellow lines have been painted as part of a new parking permit scheme in the neighbourhood, which will be enforced from May 1.

The county council said today (Thurs) the double lines are necessary as they separate different parking areas.

"This is common practice. The yellow lines are at either end of a disabled parking bay and are there to prevent vehicles parked either side from encroaching on the disabled bay," said a spokesman for the county council.

But residents say the lines are "completely ridiculous."

"It took a while for me to spot the yellow lines as they are so short and look completely ridiculous,"said local resident Helen Anderson, 37.

"It seems rather unnecessary to paint such short lines, no one could possibly fit a car of any sort in the gap."

Local councillor Damien Tunnacliffe, of the city council, added: "They could be on the tourist trail. We should get the blue badge tour guides onto it."

Until now Norwich held the record for the shortest double yellow lines which measured 17in (41cm) in the city's Stafford Street.

Last year Canterbury in Kent claimed double yellow lines of 21in (53cm) and there is also a set of double yellow lines measuring 24in (61m) in Theatre Street, Norwich

Britain's previous shortest single yellow line was painted between parking bays in Highbury Crescent in North London in 2007.

A double-yellow line is a common road marking meaning different things in many parts of the world. Double yellow lines along the edge of the carriageway indicate that parking restrictions apply to the road (which includes the carriageway, pavement and verge).

Images: Rex