Signs & Markings Road Markings
Markings on the road give information, orders or warnings. They can be used with signs on posts or on their own.
Their advantages are
- they can often be seen when other signs are hidden by traffic
- they can give a continuing message as you drive along the road.
As a general rule, the more paint, the more important the message.
Signs & Markings Lines across the road
'Give way' lines
Double broken white lines across your half of the road show that traffic on the road you want to enter has priority. The lines show where you should stop, if necessary, to take your final look. These may also be found on a roundabout where traffic on the roundabout is required to give way to those joining.
A single broken line is normally found at the entrance to a roundabout. This tells you that traffic coming from your immediate right has priority and you must give way.
Single 'Stop' lines
A single continuous line across your half of the road shows where you must stop
- at junctions with 'Stop' signs
- at junctions controlled by police or traffic lights
- at level crossings
- at swing bridges or ferries.
Signs & Markings Lines along the road
Double white lines
The most important of these are double white lines and they have rules for
- overtaking
- parking.
Overtaking
When the line nearest you is continuous, you must not cross or straddle it except when it is safe and you want to
- enter or leave a side road or entrance on the opposite side of the road
- pass a stationary vehicle
- pass a road maintenance vehicle, cycle or horse moving at 10 mph or less.
If there's a broken white line on your side and a continuous white line on the other, you may cross both lines to overtake. Make sure you can complete the manoeuvre before reaching a solid line on your side.
Arrows on the road often warn that there's a double white line coming up. Don't begin to overtake when you see them.
Parking
On a road marked with double white lines you must not stop or park, even if one of the 1ines is broken. You may, however, stop for a moment to pick up or drop off passengers.
Hatch markings
There are dangerous areas where it is necessary to separate the streams of traffic completely, such as a sharp bend or hump, or where traffic turning right needs protection. These areas are painted with white chevrons or diagonal stripes.
Remember
- where the boundary line is solid, do not enter except in an emergency
- where the boundary line is broken, you should not drive on the markings unless you can see that it is safe to do so.
Single broken lines
Watch out for places where the single broken line down the centre of the road gets longer. This shows a hazard ahead.
Lane dividers
Short broken white lines are used on wide carriageways to divide them into lanes. You should keep between them unless you are overtaking or turning right.
Signs & Markings Lanes for specific types of vehicle
Bus and cycle lanes are shown by signs and road markings. In some one-way streets these vehicles are permitted to travel against the normal flow of traffic. These are known as contraflow lanes.
- Bus Lanes
Only vehicles shown on the sign may use the lane during the times of operation which are also shown on the sign. Outside those periods all vehicles can use the bus lane.
Where there are no times shown, the bus lane is in operation for 24 hours a day.
Don't park or drive in bus lanes when they are in operation.
- Cycle lanes
Don't drive or park in a cycle lane marked by a solid white line during the times of operation shown on the signs.
If the cycle lane is marked by a broken line, don't drive or park in it unless it is unavoidable.
Remember
If you park in a cycle lane at any time you make it very dangerous for any cyclist who is using that lane.
Signs & Markings Reflective studs
These are
- red - on the left-hand side of the road
- white - on the lane or centre-of-road lines
- amber - on the right-hand edge of the carriageway on dual carriageways and motorways
- green - between the carriageway and lay-by, side roads and slip roads.
At road works, fluorescent green/yellow studs may be used to help identify the lanes in operation.
Signs & Markings Box junction markings
Yellow criss-cross lines mark a box junction.
Their purpose is to keep the junction clear by preventing traffic from stopping in the path of crossing traffic.
You must not enter a box junction unless your exit road is clear. But you can enter the box when you want to turn right and you're only prevented from doing so by oncoming traffic.
If there's a vehicle already on the junction waiting to turn right, you're free to enter behind it and wait to turn right providing that you won't block any oncoming traffic wanting to turn right.
If there are a number of vehicles waiting to turn, it's unlikely you'11 be able to proceed before the traffic signals change.
Signs & Markings Words on the road
Words on the road surface usually have a clear meaning such as 'Stop', 'Slow', 'Keep Clear'.
When they show a part of the road is reserved for certain vehicles, for example, buses, taxis or ambulances, don't park there.
Signs & Markings Schools
Yellow zigzags are often marked on the road outside schools, along with the words 'School - Keep Clear'. Do not stop (even to set down or pick up children) or park there.
The markings are to make sure that
- drivers passing
- children crossing
and
have a clear, unrestricted view of the crossing area.
Signs & Markings Destination markings
Near a busy junction, lanes sometimes have destination markings or road numbers on the road surface.
These enable drivers to get into the correct lane early, even if advance direction road signs are obscured by large vehicles.
Signs & Markings Lane arrows
These tell you which lane to take for the direction you want.
Where the road is wide enough, you may find one arrow pointing in each direction
- left in the left-hand lane
- straight ahead in the centre lane
- right in the right-hand lane
- straight ahead and left in the left-hand lane
- straight ahead and right in the right-hand lane.
Some arrows might be combined, depending on how busy the junction is. If the road is only wide enough for two lanes, arrows might have two directions combined
Left- and right- turn arrows are placed well before a junction to help you get into the correct lane in good time. They don't indicate the exact point at which you should turn. It's especially important to remember this at right turns.
Speed reduction lines
Raised yellow lines may be painted the carriageway at the approach to
- roundabouts
- reduced speed limits when entering a village
- particular hazards.
The purpose of these lines is to make drivers aware of their speed after a period of driving at higher speeds. Reduce your speed in good time.
