Signs Giving Orders
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 | 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 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 |
Note: 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 Positive Instruction
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 |