I’m parked up in a layby at night next to road over 30mph. I have my sidelights on and intend to leave them on until morning. Am I right in doing this? Also will it likely drain my battery with sidelights on overnight?
I am also wondering this. After doing my theory and seeing this statement on the revision it makes me wonder about the battery?
I maybe and probably am wrong !
But I think if it’s a proper layby then it’s classed as 'off road ’ hence no lights required regardless of speed limits, if actually on a carriageway then yes sidelights required.
If I’m honest I don’t think I’ve ever seen a lorry parked up with sidelights on…
I certainly never have and nor have the guys parked in front or behind me 
There has to be a demarcation between the layby and the road to negate the need for lights. It can be a solid verge, or a painted gap (not simply a dotted line). HTH 
For information - I don’t bother with lights
Well I found this re: parking at night
gov.uk/waiting-and-parking/ … 248-to-252
I’m on an A road and layby is literally next to the road with no gap only white dash markers in between.
My main concern is I wake up with a flat battery! Especially with the weather getting colder!
I could well be wrong, but, I’ve always been told that a goods vehicle like a truck can’t park all night long in a layby not separated from the road as mentioned above, by a barrier, grass verge or large painted area (not just a broken white line). So you will need to find a more suitable layby away from traffic basically. I suggest however you check this out for yourself, David Lowe writes a yearly transport manager book that your employer should have, its in there somewhere or buy it yourself for £45 ish i think off amazon, i’ve a copy at work for us to use, no point using online resources they aren’t reliable enough for specialist transport regs.
Your battery should be ok to maintain the side lights all night, they are only 5 watt bulbs.
I was always under the impression, that if the surface of the lay by was a different colour or texture to the road i.e one is tarmac one is conctrete or rough etc or the lay was divided by a line of kerbstone style bricks forming a line or didvided by any road marking (white line) then one does not have to display side or marker lights as this is deemed to be off of the carriageway.
I think its covered under regulation 24 of the road vehicle lighting regulations 1989 but dont quote me on it… 
It will depend on the state of your batteries and how cold it is, you won’t know for sure until morning
That said I have never parked in layby and left lights on.
petesxi:
I was always under the impression, that if the surface of the lay by was a different colour or texture to the road i.e one is tarmac one is conctrete or rough etc or the lay was divided by a line of kerbstone style bricks forming a line or didvided by any road marking (white line) then one does not have to display side or marker lights as this is deemed to be off of the carriageway.
I think its covered under regulation 24 of the road vehicle lighting regulations 1989 but dont quote me on it…
Colour or type of surface makes no difference but the physical divide does
Donkeys years ago Toleman used to fit their transporters with the facility to light a single side light front and rear for their regular layby nights out 10 miles from home (or someone else’s home ), not necessarily 100% kosher but likely to help you pass the attitude test.
No reason you couldn’t do the same yourself, wire an old fashioned light or two red/clear but single bulbs (or LEDs for even less current) and wired to a plug able to be plugged into one of the power output sockets fitted to most modern lorries…simply attach them to outside with croc clips red one as far back as the lead will allow, OK its not exactly full sidelights, but more likely to see a jobsworth pass you by as you’ve at least tried your best and physically lit the vehicle.
Whether sidelights would flatten the batteries overnight is a good question, batteries and charging system in good condition with only the standard number of side lights you’d probably be ok unless bitterly cold, factor in the additional night heater/telly/radio/internet use could easily see you with a non starter in the morning unless you fired it up for 20 minutes just before you went to sleep to top the batteries up.
Cycle lights using rechargeable batteries also work well
Thanks for all you responses. I ended up leaving the sidelights on and the truck started no problem in the morning. It is a 14 plate truck though so obviously a new battery. Which might have helped. 2oC when I woke up too so I may have been lucky this time.