Information signsUnited Kingdom

An introduction to the traffic rules and road signs of United Kingdom. Learn about driving, road safety and much more in our illustrated book, with answers to frequently asked questions.

For informational purposes only. Always follow official regulations. Some content and images were created with AI assistance.

Traffic signs

Traffic rules

Information signs

An information sign identifies a route, destination, facility or regulated road or area. Some carry legal consequences, so apply the actual sign meaning and local traffic code.

Road narrowing, oncoming drivers have to give way.

Parking partly on the roadway and verge.

Parking only allowed on the verge or pavement.

Which signs provide information in the United Kingdom?

Blue direction signs identify motorways, green identifies primary routes, and white identifies non-primary routes in the British system.

🔗 gov.uk • Department for Transport — Know Your Traffic Signs, signing system

🔗 nidirect.gov.uk • Northern Ireland Government — separate Highway Code signs and markings

How can you recognise a built-up area in the United Kingdom?

Outside motorways, street lighting is an important clue to the restricted-road default. Follow speed-limit signs where a different limit applies; a welcome-to-town sign does not itself establish one uniform UK urban limit.

🔗 gov.uk • Department for Transport — Know Your Traffic Signs, signing system

🔗 nidirect.gov.uk • Northern Ireland Government — separate Highway Code signs and markings

1. Start of a residential area

This traffic sign indicates the start of a residential area. Special traffic rules apply within the area according to the applicable signs and local regulations. These rules may affect speed, parking and how different road users use the road.

English • GB diagram 881 • Home Zone. You are entering a designated Home Zone: a residential street designed to be shared by pedestrians, cyclists and motor vehicles. Expect people using the street and drive with particular care. The sign alone does not set a universal 20 mph speed limit.

Sources

🔗 Commons.wikimedia.org (UK Government • Crown copyright • OGL v1.0)
🔗 Legislation.gov.uk • Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions • Great Britain
🔗 Gov.uk • Department for Transport • Know your traffic signs

SVG source: UK Government • OGL v1.0 • Original revision 2023-01-19. Wikimedia original unmodified. © Crown copyright. Traffic signs are Crown copyright. You may reproduce traffic signs free of charge and without having to seek permission, but you must reproduce them accurately and not in a misleading context (e.g. not on roadside billboards where they could mislead drivers). (ref [1])

Artwork verified against Gov.uk • official published diagram 881A.

Current design and permitted variants verified against Legislation.gov.uk • TSRGD, current text.

2. End of the residential area

This traffic sign indicates the end of the residential area. The special traffic rules associated with the residential area end at this point. Follow the traffic signs and rules that apply beyond the area.

Sources

🔗 Commons.wikimedia.org (UK Government • Crown copyright • OGL v1.0)

Image via Commons.wikimedia.org
UK Government • OGL v1.0 • Source revision 2011-11-29. Wikimedia original unmodified.

3. Start of a zone for pedestrians

This traffic sign indicates the start of a pedestrian zone. Pedestrians are the principal road users within the zone, while access by vehicles and other road users is subject to the applicable traffic signs and local rules.

English • GB diagram 618.3 (legacy) • Pedestrian zone. Motor vehicles are prohibited in the pedestrian zone except for loading as shown. Waiting is prohibited at any time. This is an older pedestrian-zone sign; the motor-vehicle symbol does not prohibit pedal cycles.

Sources

🔗 Commons.wikimedia.org
🔗 Legislation.gov.uk • Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions • Great Britain
🔗 Gov.uk • Department for Transport • Know your traffic signs
🔗 Legislation.gov.uk • Retention of existing signs • regulation 14
🔗 Legislation.gov.uk • Earlier prescribed signs • TSRGD 2002

Image via Commons.wikimedia.org
UK Government • Public domain • Source revision 2011-11-29. Wikimedia original unmodified.

4. End of the zone for pedestrians

This traffic sign indicates the end of the pedestrian zone. The special traffic rules associated with the pedestrian zone end at this point. Follow the traffic signs and rules that apply beyond the zone.

English • GB diagram 618.4 • End of pedestrian zone. The pedestrian-zone restrictions indicated by the entry sign end here. Other traffic and parking restrictions may still apply.

Sources

SVG source: UK Government • Public domain • Original revision 2011-11-13. Wikimedia original unmodified.

5. National speed limits

This traffic sign indicates the national speed limits. The applicable default maximum speeds depend on the road type, vehicle category and local traffic rules when no different speed limit is indicated.

6. Crossing for cyclists

This traffic sign indicates a crossing for cyclists. It marks a designated place where cyclists cross the road. Priority depends on the applicable traffic signs, signals and local rules.

English • TSRGD S2 P2 item 26 • Cycles crossing. A cycle route crosses or joins the road at the warned location. This plate normally accompanies the cycle-route warning sign. Read this supplementary plate together with the sign it qualifies.

Sources

SVG source: UK Government • OGL v1.0 • Original revision 2012-06-25. Wikimedia original unmodified. © Crown copyright. Traffic signs are Crown copyright. You may reproduce traffic signs free of charge and without having to seek permission, but you must reproduce them accurately and not in a misleading context (e.g. not on roadside billboards where they could mislead drivers). (ref [1])

Artwork verified against Gov.uk • official published diagram 950.1VCC.

Current design and permitted variants verified against Legislation.gov.uk • TSRGD, current text.

7. Road narrowing, oncoming drivers have to give way

This traffic sign indicates a road narrowing where oncoming drivers have to give way.

English • GB diagram 811A • Priority over oncoming vehicles. You have priority over vehicles approaching from the opposite direction at the narrow section. Proceed only when it is safe.

Sources

🔗 Commons.wikimedia.org (Government of the United Kingdom – Department for Transport • Crown copyright • OGL v1.0)
🔗 Legislation.gov.uk • Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions • Great Britain
🔗 Gov.uk • Department for Transport • Know your traffic signs

SVG source: Government of the United Kingdom – Department for Transport • OGL v1.0 • Original revision 2022-01-10. Wikimedia original unmodified. © Crown copyright. Traffic signs are Crown copyright. You may reproduce traffic signs free of charge and without having to seek permission, but you must reproduce them accurately and not in a misleading context (e.g. not on roadside billboards where they could mislead drivers). (ref [1])

Artwork verified against Gov.uk • official published diagram 811.

Current design and permitted variants verified against Legislation.gov.uk • TSRGD, current text.

8. Dead end street

This traffic sign indicates a dead end street. The road has no through route for vehicles, although access to properties or other destinations along the road may still be possible.

English • GB diagram 816 • No through road. The road indicated is a no-through road; the pictured arrangement shows a side road that does not continue through.

Sources

SVG source: UK Government • OGL v1.0 • Original revision 2014-08-11. Wikimedia original unmodified. © Crown copyright. Traffic signs are Crown copyright. You may reproduce traffic signs free of charge and without having to seek permission, but you must reproduce them accurately and not in a misleading context (e.g. not on roadside billboards where they could mislead drivers). (ref [1])

Artwork verified against Gov.uk • official published diagram 817R.

Current design and permitted variants verified against Legislation.gov.uk • TSRGD, current text.

9. Road with one-way traffic

This traffic sign indicates a road with one-way traffic. Vehicular traffic may travel only in the permitted direction, subject to any exceptions indicated by traffic signs or local rules.

English • GB diagram 652 • One-way traffic. Traffic on the road travels in the direction shown. This rectangular sign identifies one-way traffic.

Sources

SVG source: Government of the United Kingdom – Department for Transport • OGL v1.0 • Original revision 2022-01-12. Wikimedia original unmodified. © Crown copyright. Traffic signs are Crown copyright. You may reproduce traffic signs free of charge and without having to seek permission, but you must reproduce them accurately and not in a misleading context (e.g. not on roadside billboards where they could mislead drivers). (ref [1])

Artwork verified against Gov.uk • official published diagram 652.

Current design and permitted variants verified against Legislation.gov.uk • TSRGD, current text.

10. Parking allowed

This traffic sign indicates that parking is allowed. Vehicles may be parked in the area covered by the sign subject to any indicated conditions, restrictions or local parking rules.

English • GB diagram 801 • Parking place. A parking place is available. Observe any conditions, charges, time limits and vehicle restrictions shown on accompanying signs.

Sources

SVG source: Government of the United Kingdom – Department for Transport • OGL v1.0 • Original revision 2026-06-06. Wikimedia original unmodified. © Crown copyright. Traffic signs are Crown copyright. You may reproduce traffic signs free of charge and without having to seek permission, but you must reproduce them accurately and not in a misleading context (e.g. not on roadside billboards where they could mislead drivers). (ref [1])

Artwork verified against Gov.uk • official published diagram 801.

Current design and permitted variants verified against Legislation.gov.uk • TSRGD, current text.

11. Parking partly on the roadway and verge

This traffic sign indicates parking partly on the roadway and adjoining verge or pavement. Vehicles must park in the position shown by the sign, with part of the vehicle on the roadway and part on the adjoining verge or pavement.

English • GB diagram 667 • Parking partly on the verge or footway. Vehicles may park partly on the verge or footway in the position shown. Observe the signed area and any other parking conditions.

Sources

🔗 Commons.wikimedia.org
🔗 Legislation.gov.uk • Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions • Great Britain
🔗 Gov.uk • Department for Transport • Know your traffic signs

SVG source: UK Government • Public domain • Original revision 2011-11-13. Wikimedia original unmodified.

12. Parking only allowed on the verge or pavement

This traffic sign indicates that parking is only allowed on the verge or pavement. Vehicles must park in the position shown by the sign rather than on the roadway.

English • GB diagram 668 • Parking wholly on the verge or footway. Vehicles may park wholly on the verge or footway in the position shown. Observe the signed area and any other parking conditions.

Sources

🔗 Commons.wikimedia.org
🔗 Legislation.gov.uk • Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions • Great Britain
🔗 Gov.uk • Department for Transport • Know your traffic signs

SVG source: UK Government • Public domain • Original revision 2011-11-13. Wikimedia original unmodified.

13. Section control

This traffic sign indicates section control, also called average-speed enforcement. A vehicle’s average speed is measured over a defined section of road and compared with the applicable speed limit.

English • GB diagram 880 • Speed camera and 30 mph reminder. A speed camera is ahead on a lit road with a 30 mph limit. This sign reminds drivers of that limit; it does not itself identify the start of average-speed enforcement. The current Great Britain diagram 880 is specified for England; Wales has a separate 20 mph version.

Sources

SVG source: UK Government • OGL v1.0 • Original revision 2014-05-01. Wikimedia original unmodified. © Crown copyright. Traffic signs are Crown copyright. You may reproduce traffic signs free of charge and without having to seek permission, but you must reproduce them accurately and not in a misleading context (e.g. not on roadside billboards where they could mislead drivers). (ref [1])

Artwork verified against Gov.uk • official published diagram 880.

Current design and permitted variants verified against Legislation.gov.uk • TSRGD, current text.

14. End of the section control

This traffic sign indicates the end of the section control. The section over which average speed is measured ends at this point.

English • GB diagram 880.1 • Speed camera and national speed limit reminder. A speed camera is ahead on an unlit road subject to the national speed limit. The limit depends on the road and vehicle type. This is not an average-speed enforcement end sign.

Sources

🔗 Commons.wikimedia.org (United Kingdom - Department for Transport • Crown copyright • OGL v1.0)
🔗 Legislation.gov.uk • Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions • Great Britain
🔗 Gov.uk • Department for Transport • Know your traffic signs

SVG source: United Kingdom - Department for Transport • OGL v1.0 • Original revision 2014-05-01. Wikimedia original unmodified. © Crown copyright. Traffic signs are Crown copyright. You may reproduce traffic signs free of charge and without having to seek permission, but you must reproduce them accurately and not in a misleading context (e.g. not on roadside billboards where they could mislead drivers). (ref [1])

Artwork verified against Legislation.gov.uk • official published diagram 880.1.

Current design and permitted variants verified against Legislation.gov.uk • TSRGD, current text.