Parking madness: Are these the UK's shortest yellow lines?

A council has defended painting a set of double yellow lines measuring less than a metre long on a residential street.

The lines appear on Leigh Road in the Clifton area of Bristol, as part of a new residents' parking scheme.

Elected mayor George Ferguson introduced the controversial plans to combat parkingproblems in parts of the city. 

Residents have poked fun at the lines - which are more than 50cm shorter than the front of a Smart car - on social media.

But a spokeswoman for Bristol City Council said they had been installed for a "very good reason" and prevented bad parking.

"Our intention is to optimise the available parking capacity in Bristol's residents' parking scheme areas," she said.

There is a very good reason why these short sections of double yellow lines are installed and that is to prevent inconsiderate parking.

"We are ensuring residents with driveways and garages have enough space to get in and out of them; if, instead of being prevented from gaining access by motorists parking too close to or even over the entrance, they can actually use their driveways and garages it will create more space on the street for those without them."