Traffic_signs

Traffic signs

Traffic signs used, including signs giving orders, warning signs, direction signs, information signs and road works signs.

Although The Highway Code shows many of the signs commonly in use, a comprehensive explanation of our signing system is given in the Department’s booklet Know Your Traffic Signs, which is on sale at booksellers. The booklet also illustrates and explains the vast majority of signs the road user is likely to encounter.

The signs illustrated in The Highway Code are not all drawn to the same scale. In Wales, bilingual versions of some signs are used including Welsh and English versions of place names. Some older designs of signs may still be seen on the roads.

Download ‘Traffic signs’ (PDF, 821KB)

Signs giving orders

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

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
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 (note: compare circular ‘Ahead only’ sign)	With-flow bus and cycle lane	Contra-flow bus lane
With-flow pedal cycle lane

Warning signs

Mostly triangular

Distance to ‘STOP’ line ahead	Dual carriageway 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

Gradients may be shown as a ratio i.e. 20% = 1:5

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 crossings are in use)	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

Blue panels indicate that the motorway starts at the junction ahead. Motorways shown in brackets can also be reached along the route indicated. White panels indicate local or non-primary routes leading from the junction ahead. Brown panels show the route to tourist attractions. The name of the junction may be shown at the top of the sign. The aircraft symbol indicates the route to an airport. A symbol may be included to warn of a hazard or restriction along that route.

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

Signs on non-primary and local routes - black borders

Green panels indicate that the primary route starts at the junction ahead. Route numbers on a blue background show the direction to a motorway. Route numbers on a green background show the direction to a primary route.

On approaches to junctions

At the junction

Direction to toilets with access for the disabled

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	Symbols showing emergency diversion route for motorway and other main road traffic	Symbols showing emergency diversion route for motorway and other main road traffic
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	Variable speed limit with camera enforcement sign.	‘Countdown’ markers at exit from motorway (each bar represents 100 yards to the exit). Green-backed markers may be used on primary routes and white-backed markers with black bars on other routes. At approaches to concealed level crossings white-backed markers with red bars may be used. Although these will be erected at equal distances the bars do not represent 100 yard intervals.
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 work 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 a 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 including speed limits
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.	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.	Lane restrictions at road works ahead	One lane crossover at contraflow road works