THE OFFICIAL HIGHWAY CODE

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.

Signs giving orders

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

sign giving order entry 20 zone

Entry to 20 mph zone

sign giving order end 20 zone

End of 20 mph zone

sign giving order maximum speed

Maximum speed

sign giving order national speed limit

National speed limit applies

sign giving order school crossing patrol

School crossing patrol

sign giving order stop give way

Stop and give way 

sign giving order give way

Give way to traffic on major road

sign giving order manually stop

Manually operated temporary STOP and GO signs

sign giving order manually go

Manually operated temporary STOP and GO signs

sign giving order no entry vehicular traffic

No entry for vehicular traffic

sign giving order no vehicles

No vehicles except bicycles being pushed

sign giving order no cycling

No cycling

sign giving order no motor vehicles

No motor vehicles

sign giving order no buses

No buses (over 8 passenger seats)

sign giving order no overtaking

No overtaking

sign giving order no towed caravans

No towed caravans

sign giving order no vehicles carry explosives

No vehicles carrying explosives

sign giving order no vehicle combination length

No vehicle or combination of vehicles over length shown

sign giving order no vehicles over height

No vehicles over height shown

sign giving order no vehicle width

No vehicles over width shown

sign giving order give priority vehicles

Give priority to vehicles from opposite direction

sign giving order no right turn

No right turn

sign giving order no left turn

No left turn

sign giving order no u turn

No U-turns

sign giving order no goods vehicle over weight

No goods vehicles over maximum gross weight shown (in tonnes) except for loading and unloading

sign giving order no vehicles max gross weight

No vehicles over maximum gross weight shown (in tonnes)

sign giving order park restrict permit holders

Parking restricted to permit holders

sign giving order red route

No stopping during period indicated except for buses

sign giving order no stopping times

No stopping during times shown except for as long as necessary to set down or pick up passengers

sign giving order no waiting

No waiting

sign giving order no stopping

No stopping (Clearway)

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

sign giving order ahead only

Ahead only

sign giving order turn left ahead

Turn left ahead (right if symbol reversed)

sign giving order turn left

Turn left (right if symbol reversed)

sign giving order keep left

Keep left (right if symbol reversed)

sign giving order vehicle pass either side

Vehicles may pass either side to reach same destination

sign giving order mini roundabout

Mini-roundabout (roundabout circulation - give way to vehicles from the immediate right)

sign giving order route pedal cycles only

Route to be used by pedal cycles only

sign giving order segregated cycle pedestrian route

Segregated pedal cycle and pedestrian route

sign-giving-order-minimum-speed

Minimum speed

sign giving order minimum speed end

End of minimum speed

sign giving order buses cycles only

Buses and cycles only

sign giving order trams only

Trams only

sign giving order pedestrian crossing tramway

Pedestrian crossing point over tramway

sign giving order one way traffic

One-way traffic (note: compare circular ‘Ahead only’ sign)

sign giving order with flow bus cycle lane

With-flow bus and cycle lane

sign giving order contra flow bus lane

Contra-flow bus lane

sign giving order with flow pedal cycle lane

With-flow pedal cycle lane

Warning signs

Mostly triangular

warning sign distance to stop line ahead 100 yards

Distance to ‘STOP’ line ahead

warning sign dual carriageway ends

Dual carriageway ends

warning sign road narrow

Road narrows on right (left if symbol reversed)

warning sign road narrow both sides

Road narrows on both sides

warning sign distance to stop line ahead 50 yards

Distance to ‘Give Way’ line ahead

warning sign crossroads

Crossroads

warning sign junction on bend ahead

Junction on bend ahead

warning sign t-junction with priority

T-junction with priority over vehicles from the right

warning sign staggered junction

Staggered junction

warning sign traffic merging left

Traffic merging from left ahead

The priority through route is indicated by the broader line.

warning sign double bend

Double bend first to left (symbol may be reversed)

warning sign bend to right

Bend to right (or left if symbol reversed)

warning sign roundabout

Roundabout

warning sign uneven road

Uneven road

warning sign plate below some signs

Plate below some signs

warning sign two way traffic crosses road

Two-way traffic crosses one-way road

warning sign two way traffic ahead

Two-way traffic straight ahead

warning sign swing bridge

Opening or swing bridge ahead

warning sign aircraft

Low-flying aircraft or sudden aircraft noise

warning sign falling rocks

Falling or fallen rocks

warning sign traffic signals not in use

Traffic signals not in use

warning sign traffic signals

Traffic signals

warning sign slippery road

Slippery road

warning sign steep hill downwards

Steep hill downwards

warning sign steep hill upwards

Steep hill upwards

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

warning sign tunnel ahead

Tunnel ahead

warning sign trams crossing ahead

Trams crossing ahead

warning sign level crossing ahead barrier or gate

Level crossing with barrier or gate ahead

warning sign level crossing ahead without barrier

Level crossing without barrier or gate ahead

warning sign level crossing without barrier ahead

Level crossing without barrier

sign giving order school crossing patrol (1)

School crossing patrol ahead (some signs have amber lights which flash when crossings are in use)

warning sign frail pedestrians cross road ahead

Frail (or blind or disabled if shown) pedestrians likely to cross road ahead

warning sign pedestrians in road ahead

Pedestrians in road ahead

warning sign zebra crossing

Zebra crossing

warning sign overhead electric cables

Overhead electric cable; plate indicates maximum height of vehicles which can pass safely

warning sign available width head room

Available width of headroom indicated

warning sign sharp deviation of route

Sharp deviation of route to left (or right if chevrons reversed)

warning sign light signals ahead

Light signals ahead at level crossing, airfield or bridge

warning sign level crossing minature

Miniature warning lights at level crossings

warning sign cattle

Cattle

warning sign wild animals

Wild animals

warning sign wild horses

Wild horses or ponies

warning sign accompanied horses

Accompanied horses or ponies

warning sign cycle route ahead

Cycle route ahead

warning sign risk of ice

Risk of ice

warning sign traffic queues

Traffic queues likely ahead

warning sign distance humps extend

Distance over which road humps extend

warning sign other danger

Other danger; plate indicates nature of danger

warning sign soft verges

Soft verges

warning sign side winds

Side winds

warning sign hump bridge

Hump bridge

warning sign worded sign ford

Worded warning sign

warning sign quayside or riverbank

Quayside or river bank

warning sign risk of grounding

Risk of grounding

Direction signs

Mostly rectangular

Signs on motorways - blue backgrounds

direction sign blue junction leading to motorway

At a junction leading directly into a motorway (junction number may be shown on a black background)

direction sign blue approach to junction

On approaches to junctions (junction number on black background)

direction sign blue route sign

Route confirmatory sign after junction

direction sign blue get in lane

Downward pointing arrows mean ‘Get in lane’ The left-hand lane leads to a different destination from the other lanes.

direction sign blue destination leaving motorway

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.

direction sign green approach junction roundabout

On approaches to junctions

direction-sign green at junction

At the junction

direction sign green route sign

Route confirmatory sign after junction

direction sign green approach junction

On approaches to junctions

direction sign green billingual

On approach to a junction in Wales (bilingual)

direction sign green ring road crossroads

Primary route forming part of a ring road

direction sign green primary route 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.

direction sign black border approach junction crossroads

On approaches to junctions

direction sign black border approach junction

On approaches to junctions

direction sign black border at junction

At the junction

direction sign black border toilets disabled access

Direction to toilets with access for the disabled

Other direction signs

direction sign other picnic site

Picnic site

direction sign other english heritage

Ancient monument in the care of English Heritage

direction sign other direction car park

Direction to a car park

direction sign other tourist attraction

Tourist attraction

direction sign other camping caravan

Direction to camping and caravan site

direction sign other advisory route lorries

Advisory route for lorries

direction sign other route pedal cycles

Route for pedal cycles forming part of a network

direction sign other recommended route cycle

Recommended route for pedal cycles to place shown

direction sign other route pedestrians

Route for pedestrians

direction sign other emergency diversion square

Symbols showing emergency diversion route for motorway and other main road traffic

direction sign other emergency diversion triangle

Symbols showing emergency diversion route for motorway and other main road traffic

direction sign other emergency diversion diamond

Symbols showing emergency diversion route for motorway and other main road traffic

direction sign other emergency diversion circle

Symbols showing emergency diversion route for motorway and other main road traffic

direction sign other diversion route

Diversion route

Information signs

All rectangular

Information sign entrance controlled parking zone

Entrance to controlled parking zone

Information sign entrance congestion zone

Entrance to congestion charging zone

Information sign end controlled parking zone

End of controlled parking zone

Information sign advance warning restriction ahead

Advance warning of restriction or prohibition ahead

Information sign parking place solo motorcycles

Parking place for solo motorcycles

Information sign with flow bus lane ahead

With-flow bus lane ahead which pedal cycles and taxis may also use

Information sign lane for hov

Lane designated for use by high occupancy vehicles (HOV) - see rule 142

Information sign vehicles permitted HOV lane

Vehicles permitted to use an HOV lane ahead

Information sign motorway end

End of motorway

Information sign start motorway

Start of motorway and point from which motorway regulations apply

Information sign appropriate traffic lanes junction

Appropriate traffic lanes at junction ahead

Information sign traffic on carriageway priority

Traffic on the main carriageway coming from right has priority over joining traffic

Information sign addtional traffic joining left

Additional traffic joining from left ahead. Traffic on main carriageway has priority over joining traffic from right hand lane of slip road

Information sign traffic joining right hand slip road

Traffic in right hand lane of slip road joining the main carriageway has priority over left hand lane

information sign motorway exit countdown markers

‘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.

Information sign motorway service

Motorway service area sign showing the operator’s name

Information sign traffic priority over oncoming vehicles

Traffic has priority over oncoming vehicles

Information sign hospital a and e

Hospital ahead with Accident and Emergency facilities

Information sign tourist info point

Tourist information point

Information sign no through road

No through road for vehicles

Information sign recommended route cycles

Recommended route for pedal cycles

Information sign home zone entry

Home Zone Entry

Information sign camera area

Area in which cameras are used to enforce traffic regulations

Information sign bus lane road junction ahead

Bus lane on road at junction ahead

Road works signs

road work sign road works

Road works

road work sign loose chippings

Loose chippings

road work sign temporary hazard

Temporary hazard at road works

road work sign temporary lane closure

Temporary lane closure (the number and position of arrows and red bars may be varied according to lanes open and closed)

road work sign back vehicle direction arrow

Slow-moving or stationary works vehicle blocking a traffic lane. Pass in the direction shown by the arrow.

road work sign mandatory speed limit

Mandatory speed limit ahead

road work sign road works ahead

Road works 1 mile ahead

road work sign end road works

End of road works and any temporary restrictions including speed limits

road work sign back vehicle 800 yards

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.

road work sign back vehicle450 yards

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.

road work sign lane restriction

Lane restrictions at road works ahead

road work sign lane crossover

One lane crossover at contraflow road works