Traffic Calming
Traffic Calming Features
Traffic-calming features are designed to reduce vehicle speeds and make roads safer, particularly in residential or high-pedestrian areas.
Common Measures
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Road humps
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Road narrowings or central islands
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Chicanes
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Mini-roundabouts
These features aim to slow vehicles and encourage safer driving behaviour.
20 mph Zones
Some areas display only a 20 mph (32 km/h) speed limit sign.
This indicates you’re in a traffic-calmed zone, where features such as humps or narrowings may not be individually signed.
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Drive smoothly and steadily within the speed limit.
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Avoid unnecessary acceleration or braking.
Road Humps
Road humps may be round-topped or flat-topped and are usually found in 30 mph (48 km/h) or lower speed limit areas.
In some zones, humps are shaped as ‘cushions’, allowing larger vehicles (like buses) to straddle them.
Where humps exist outside 20 mph zones, you’ll usually see:
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Warning signs at the start of the section.
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Triangular markings or edge lines at each hump.
Road Narrowings
Roads may be deliberately narrowed by build-outs (raised kerbs) on one or both sides.
Where these are used outside 20 mph zones, you’ll normally find:
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Warning signs showing where the narrowing occurs.
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‘Give Way’ markings and signs showing which direction has priority.
Rules:
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If the narrowing is on your side, you must give way to oncoming traffic.
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If no priority signs are shown, approach slowly and be prepared to wait or give way.
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Never accelerate to beat another vehicle through a narrowing.
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Give cyclists and motorcyclists room — never try to squeeze past.
Mini-Roundabouts
Mini-roundabouts are often used as part of traffic-calming schemes to:
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Reduce speeds
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Break up long, straight roads
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Allow safer joining from side roads
Follow the same rules as for normal roundabouts.
Psychological Traffic Calming (Shared Space)
“Shared spaces” or “naked roads” remove features such as kerbs, white lines, and traffic lights to encourage drivers to use caution and make eye contact with other road users.
This concept is currently under review, and the Department for Transport has advised local authorities to pause new shared space projects.