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HomeThe Highway CodeRoad Signs

Road Signs

Signs giving orders

Signs with red circles are mostly prohibitive.
Plates below signs qualify their messages

Entry to 20 mph zone	End of 20 mph zone	Maximum speed	National speed limit applies	School crossing patrol

Stop and give way	Give way to traffic on major road	Manually operated temporary STOP and GO signs		No entry for vehicular traffic
No vehicles except bicycles being pushed	No cycling	No motor vehicles	No buses (over 8 passenger seats)	No overtaking
No towed caravans	No vehicles carrying explosives	No vehicle or combination of vehicles over length shown	No vehicles over height shown	No vehicles over width shown
Give priority to vehicles from opposite direction	No right turn	No left turn	No U-turns	No goods vehicles over maximum gross weight shown (in tonnes) except for loading and unloading

No vehicles over maximum gross weight shown (in tonnes)	Parking restricted to permit holders	No stopping during period indicated except for buses	No stopping during times shown except for as long as necessary to set down or pick up passengers
	No waiting	No stopping (Clearway)

Signs with blue circles but no red border mostly give positive instruction.

Ahead only	Turn left ahead (right if symbol reversed)	Turn left (right if symbol reversed)	Keep left (right if symbol reversed)	Vehicles may pass either side to reach same destination
Mini-roundabout (roundabout circulation - give way to vehicles from the immediate right)	Route to be used by pedal cycles only	Segregated pedal cycle and pedestrian route	Minimum speed	End of minimum speed

Buses and cycles only

Trams only

Pedestrian crossing point over tramway

One-way traffic

With-flow bus and cycle lane

Contra-flow bus lane

With-flow pedal cycle lane

Warning Signs

Mostly traingular

Distance to 'STOP' line ahead	Dual carriage-way ends	Road narrows on right (left if symbol reversed)	Road narrows on both sides	Distance to 'Give Way' line ahead
Crossroads	Junction on bend ahead	T-junction with priority over vehicles from the right	Staggered junction	Traffic merging from left ahead
The priority through route is indicated by the broader line
Double bend first to left (symbol may be reversed)	Bend to right (or left if symbol reversed)	Roundabout	Uneven road	Plate below some signs
Two-way traffic crosses one-way road	Two-way traffic straight ahead	Opening or swing bridge ahead	Low-flying aircraft or sudden aircraft noise	Falling or fallen rocks
Traffic signals not in use	Traffic signals	Slippery road	Steep hill downwards	Steep hill upwards
Tunnel ahead	Trams crossing ahead	Level crossing with barrier or gate ahead	Level crossing without barrier or gate ahead	Level crossing without barrier
School crossing patrol ahead (some signs have amber lights which flash when children are crossing)	Frail (or blind or disabled if shown) pedestrians likely to cross road ahead	Pedestrians in road ahead	Zebra crossing	Overhead electric cable; plate indicates maximum height of vehicles which can pass safely
	Available width of headroom indicated
Sharp deviation of route to left (or right if chevrons reversed)		Light signals ahead at level crossing, airfield or bridge	Miniature warning lights at level crossings
Cattle	Wild animals	Wild horses or ponies	Accompanied horses or ponies	Cycle route ahead
Risk of ice	Traffic queues likely ahead	Distance over which road humps extend	Other danger; plate indicates nature of danger	Soft verges
Side winds	Hump bridge	Worded warning sign	Quayside or river bank	Risk of grounding

Direction signs

Mostly rectangular

Signs on motorways - blue backgrounds

At a junction leading directly into a motorway (junction number may be shown on a black background)	On approaches to junctions (junction number on black background)	Route confirmatory sign after junction
Downward pointing arrows mean 'Get in lane'. The left-hand lane leads to a different destination from the other lanes.
The panel with the inclined arrow indicates the destinations which can be reached by leaving the motorway at the next junction

Signs on primary routes - green backgrounds

On approaches to junctions	At the junction	On approaches to junctions On approach to a junction in Wales (bilingual)
On approaches to junctions	Route confirmatory sign after junction
	Primary route forming part of a ring road

Signs on non-primary and local routes - black borders


At the junction Direction to toilets with access for the disabled
	On approaches to junctions

Other direction signs

Picnic site	Ancient monument in the care of English Heritage	Direction to a car park
Tourist attraction	Direction to camping and caravan site	Advisory route for lorries
Route for pedal cycles forming part of a network	Recommended route for pedal cycles to place shown	Route for pedestrians
Symbols showing emergency diversion route for motorway and other main road traffic		Diversion route

information Signs

All rectangular

Entrance to controlled parking zone	Entrance to congestion charging zone	End of controlled parking zone	Advance warning of restriction or prohibition ahead
Parking place for solo motorcycles	With-flow bus lane ahead which pedal cycles and taxis may also use	Lane designated for use by high occupancy vehicles (HOV) - see rule 142	Vehicles permitted to use an HOV lane ahead

End of motorway	Start of motorway and point from which motorway regulations apply	Appropriate traffic lanes at junction ahead
Traffic on the main carriageway coming from right has priority over joining traffic	Additional traffic joining from left ahead. Traffic on main carriageway has priority over joining traffic from right hand lane of slip road.	Traffic in right hand lane of slip road joining the main carriageway has priority over left hand lane.
'Countdown' markers at exit from motorway		Motorway service area sign showing the operator's name

Traffic has priority over oncoming vehicles	Hospital ahead with Accident and Emergency facilities	Tourist information point	No through road for vehicles
Recommended route for pedal cycles	Home Zone Entry	Area in which cameras are used to enforce traffic regulations	Bus lane on road at junction ahead

Road works signs

Road works	Loose chippings	Temporary hazard at road works	Temporary lane closure (the number and position of arrows and red bars may be varied according to lanes open and closed)
Slow moving or stationary works vehicle blocking traffic lane. Pass in the direction shown by the arrow	Mandatory speed limit ahead	Road works 1 mile ahead	End of road works and any temporary restrictions
Signs used on the back of slow-moving or stationary vehicles warning of a lane closed ahead by a works vehicle. There are no cones on the road