Blue zone
The blue zone is a zone with parking areas marked in blue.
Germany
In some cities in Germany, the blue zone denotes an inner-city parking area in which parking spaces for motor vehicles are marked with blue road markings . In this case, according to the ideas of the municipalities, it is not necessary to set up appropriate park signs. Parking is not permitted in areas that are not marked with a blue marking; the restricted parking ban applies . Parking areas for taxis , delivery vehicles and spaces for the disabled and residents are specially marked.
The parking spaces marked in blue usually require a parking ticket for a certain time slot on working days , and a maximum parking time then applies.
The whole thing is legally controversial. In Germany, the principles of parking are also regulated in the road traffic regulations or the general administrative regulation for road traffic regulations. After that there are only white lane markings . Since, according to the StVO, parking markings are also part of the lane markings, they must also be white. The traffic signs set up must also comply with these two regulations. This is not the case with "blue zones". According to the administrative regulation, parking space management can only be implemented with the resources available in the StVO. There is no legal basis in Germany for any other variant.
Austria
Short-term parking spaces and zones are marked with traffic signs and often also with blue road markings. The short-term parking zones are therefore popularly known as blue zones. A colored marking on the road is not mandatory, however. Often the boards are only at the zone entrances (Vienna, Graz) without any further information about the short-term parking zone.
Switzerland and Liechtenstein
In Switzerland and Liechtenstein , the Road Traffic Act provides for regulations on parking space management . The blue zone is an area with parking spaces marked in blue, to which the # Switzerland parking disc must be attached.