Signs Giving Orders
Orders
Order signs tell you what you must or must not do.
There are two main types:
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Mandatory signs – tell you what you must do
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Prohibitory signs – tell you what you must not do
Mandatory Signs
Most mandatory signs are circular, with white symbols and borders on a blue background.
Examples include:
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Mini-roundabout
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Keep left
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Turn left
Other mandatory signs include:
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The “Stop – children” (lollipop) sign, carried by school crossing patrols – circular, with black lettering on a yellow background.
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Temporary “Stop” signs used at roadworks – white text on a red background.
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“Stop” and “Give Way” signs found at junctions – these are especially important for road safety.
'Stop' Signs
‘Stop’ signs are octagonal, with white lettering on a red background.
They are usually placed at junctions where visibility is limited. The unique shape ensures you can recognise it even if the sign is partially obscured.
They are always accompanied by a solid white stop line on the road, showing where you must stop to check for approaching traffic.
At a ‘Stop’ sign, you must:
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Stop completely, even if you think the road is clear.
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Wait until it’s safe to enter the main road — without causing other road users to change speed or direction.
'Give Way' Signs
‘Give Way’ signs consist of:
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A red triangle pointing downwards.
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Black lettering on a white background.
They’re always accompanied by road markings — double broken lines show where to stop, if necessary, to take a final look before entering.
Some smaller junctions may only have the road markings and no sign.
‘Give Way’ signs and markings show that traffic on the main road has priority.
At a ‘Give Way’ sign, you must:
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Give way to traffic already on the main road.
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Wait until you can safely join without causing others to alter speed or direction.
Remember: Look – Assess – Decide – Act.
The downward-pointing triangle is unique, so it can still be identified even when visibility is poor.
Prohibitory Signs
Prohibitory signs tell you what you must not do.
They are circular with a red border, and may include:
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Symbols
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Words
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Numbers
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Or a combination of these
Exceptions include:
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“No Entry” – a red circle with a white bar.
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“Bus Lane” – which may have different layouts depending on the location.
Speed Limit Signs
A red circle with a number on a white background shows the maximum speed limit.
A white circle with a black diagonal line cancels the previous limit — this indicates the national speed limit applies for your type of road and vehicle.
For example:
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Light vans over 2 tonnes follow the same national speed limits as goods vehicles up to 7.5 tonnes.
Repeater signs (smaller versions of the main limit sign) remind you of the limit at intervals.
In areas with regularly spaced street lights, assume a 30 mph (48 km/h) limit applies unless signs say otherwise.
In Wales, the default limit in lit areas is 20 mph, unless signs show a different limit.