Direction signs on all-purpose roads
Updated 5 December 2023
Applies to England, Scotland and Wales
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Roads other than motorways are referred to as ‘all-purpose roads’. Those of national and regional importance are called primary routes: they always have ‘A’ numbers. Direction signs on these roads have green backgrounds, yellow route numbers and white lettering. Primary routes, together with motorways, form a national network of roads between major towns (primary destinations).
Junction ahead between 2 primary routes.
All other roads, including local roads with ‘A’ numbers, are called non-primary routes. Direction signs on these roads have white backgrounds, with black route numbers and lettering. Most road maps show primary routes in green and use other colours to distinguish between non-primary ‘A’ roads, ‘B’ roads and local un-numbered roads. Maps may also indicate primary destinations. The colour coding of these maps and the colours of the traffic signs may help you to plan your journey, using primary routes wherever possible.
Junction ahead between 2 non-primary routes.
Where a primary route has a junction with a non-primary route, a coloured panel on the advance direction sign is used to indicate a route of different status. Blue panels are used to indicate motorways, green panels indicate primary routes and white panels indicate non-primary routes.
Sign on a primary route indicating a non-primary route.
Sign on a non-primary route indicating a primary route.
There are different types of sign that might be used on the approach to a junction. A ‘map-type’ sign shows the junction layout and is commonly used for roundabouts, with a special symbol for mini-roundabouts. The width of each route symbol depends on the type of the road indicated: wide for primary routes and motorways, medium for ‘A’ and ‘B’ numbered non-primary routes and narrow for local roads without numbers.
Map-type sign on primary route indicating a roundabout ahead.
Map-type sign for a mini-roundabout.
A stack-type sign shows directions at a junction ahead, but not the road layout. It can often be smaller than the equivalent map-type sign and is used for simple junctions (e.g. a crossroads) and where there might not be space for a larger sign, especially in urban areas.
Examples of stack-type signs. Arrows indicate the direction of exits from the junction ahead; each is shown on a separate part of the sign. The ahead direction may not be shown for a junction with a minor side road.
A sign that indicates the appropriate lanes to use for turning movements at a junction ahead is sometimes used in conjunction with, or instead of, a map-type or stack-type sign.
Route numbers in brackets are roads that will be reached by following the route indicated. Where a primary route is reached by following a non-primary route, its route number in brackets is shown on a small green patch. However, non-primary routes reached along primary routes are not indicated on white patches. ‘B 1234’ in the example is a non-primary route. Signs indicating a route to a motorway include a blue patch with the motorway number in brackets.
Signs located at a junction and pointing along a road have chevrons rather than arrows. They are called ‘flag-type’ signs. Some signs may be rectangular with upward-pointing arrows. These are used where the road divides, such as at an exit slip road or a forked junction. The background colour of a flag-type sign is that appropriate for the route indicated; coloured panels are not used where a primary route has a junction with a non-primary route. However, flag-type signs may include route number patches. A rectangular sign at the junction may have coloured panels, but only if it indicates more than one route.
Flag-type sign indicating a primary route that leads to a motorway and to a non-primary route.
Rectangular sign at a junction, indicating both a primary and a non-primary route. The background colour of the main sign is that appropriate for the main road on which the sign is located.
Flag-type sign indicating a non-primary route.
Rectangular sign at a junction, indicating a non-primary route.
This sign indicates that a U-turn should be made at a roundabout ahead in order to follow the route to the destinations shown. It is normally located on a dual carriageway road.
Where a turning movement is prohibited, signs may show an alternative route.
A sign may indicate the distance to a destination in miles. Fractions of a mile may be shown for distances less than 3 miles. Signs may be provided after a junction listing destinations and distances: these are known as ‘route confirmatory signs’.
Direction sign showing distances to destinations.
Route confirmatory sign.
Route confirmatory sign including a regional destination (The SOUTH WEST) and the distance to a motorway.
Route confirmatory sign: Axtley is on the current route; Rickwell is reached by turning onto the B1555 at a junction ahead.
Route confirmatory sign on a non-primary route leading to a primary route. Lampton is reached by turning onto the A11 at a junction ahead.
Some junctions on dual carriageway roads may be similar to those on motorways, where a slip road leaves the main carriageway via a deceleration lane or a lane drop. The first direction sign on the approach to the junction is usually located ½ mile in advance, although there may be an additional sign 1 mile before the junction. In some cases, these distances may be reduced, normally to ⅓ mile and ⅔ mile respectively. Another sign will be located where the deceleration lane starts or just before the left-hand lane leaves the main carriageway as a lane drop. The signs may be mounted at the side of the road or overhead.
Signs located at the side of the road where there is a deceleration lane. The number of lanes through the junction remains the same
Where the junction ahead is between 2 primary routes, any non-primary route at the same junction is not shown on a white panel. Signs on the exit slip road will have green backgrounds.
The junction ahead is with a non-primary route only, with the destination shown in a white panel. The signs on the exit slip road will have white backgrounds.
This sign is located at the start of the deceleration lane. In addition to the side destination, the sign shows the ahead destinations.
Countdown markers indicate the distance to the start of the deceleration lane. Each bar represents about 100 yards. These signs may also be used on the approach to a roundabout or crossroads. On non-primary routes, the bars are black on a white background.
A final route direction sign is usually located where the exit slip road separates from the main carriageway.
Signs on a non-primary route.
Sign mounted at the side of the carriageway giving indication of a road layout at a junction ¾ mile ahead on a primary route, where the left-hand lane leaves the main carriageway and where the same exit can be accessed from lane 2.
An indication of appropriate traffic lanes at a junction or at a junction ahead where the left-hand lane divides into 2, with the additional lane on the left leading to a different destination (diagram shows colours applicable to sign on a non-primary route). The legend, traffic lane symbols and arrows will be white and the background green when the sign is placed on a primary route.
Signs incorporating a ‘Y arrow’ are used on motorways and in other high-speed situations where a lane divides to reach different routes (diagram shows colours applicable to sign on a primary route).
Overhead signs for junctions with deceleration lanes and slip roads, where the number of lanes through the junction remains the same
Primary route sign.
Non-primary route sign.
Signs for a junction where a lane leaves the main carriageway to become the exit slip road. Primary route signs have green backgrounds. Non-primary route signs have white backgrounds
Signs mounted at the side of the carriageway in advance of the junction.
Signs mounted at the side of the carriageway just before the left-hand lane leaves the main carriageway.
Overhead signs.
Signs for tourist destinations
Tourist destinations may be shown on separate signs with brown backgrounds, or on brown panels incorporated into other direction signs.
Symbols are often used to indicate the type of destination. These may be shown on road maps. Once the full name of a tourist destination and its symbol have been shown on a sign, subsequent signs may show only the associated symbol. Examples of symbols are shown below.
Tourist information.
Castle.
Historic house.
National Trust.
English Heritage.
Theme park.
Country park.
Bird garden.
Nature reserve.
Farm park.
Safari park.
Beach.
Museum (England).
Roman remains.
Aviation museum.
There are also symbols for sports and leisure facilities.
Football ground.
Cricket ground.
Sports centre (England).
Motor sport.
Golf course.
Race course.
Fishing.
Cycle hire.
Ten-pin bowling.
Ski slope.
Some symbols are directional and face in the direction in which traffic turns at a junction. For ahead destinations, symbols generally face left. Some tourist attractions may use a general symbol, depending on whether they are in England, Scotland or Wales.
England.
Scotland.
Wales.
This sign is used in advance of a junction, advising drivers of the route to be followed where it is not practicable to sign a tourist destination at the junction itself.
Direction signs may indicate a route through an area of special interest.
Signs showing the distance ahead to a tourist attraction.
On the approach to a junction, a sign may indicate a town or geographical area with several tourist attractions.
Location of tourist information point or centre.
Tourist information board (sign for pedestrians).
Direction to a tourist information point or centre.
Direction to a parking place associated with a tourist attraction.
Services signs
Services grouped together at a single location on primary and non-primary routes may be signed where parking, toilets, fuel and refreshments are available at least between 8am and 8pm on every day except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. Signs on non-primary routes have white backgrounds.
Distance to services.
Direction to services.
‘not 24 hrs’ may be varied to ‘Fuel only 24 hrs’ or omitted if the services are open 24 hours every day. The cup symbol indicates that light refreshments are available. The vehicle and plug symbol denotes facilities for recharging electric vehicles are available.
The services may have a geographical name. The ‘LPG’ symbol means LPG fuel is available, the spoon and fork symbol denotes a restaurant and the bed symbol indicates overnight accommodation. The truckstop legend indicates non-motorway services for goods vehicles only where parking, refreshments and toilets are available, and fuel may be available, at least between 8am and 8pm on every day except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. Where the symbol has a red bar, services are not available for goods vehicles.
Alternative signs indicating the entrance to services. May be used to indicate the direction to services at a road junction.
Where individual facilities are available in a small town or village off the main route, signs at the junction indicate the direction in which they are located. If tourist facilities are available, the signs have a brown background.
Signs on the approach to the junction.
Signs located where traffic turns at the junction.
Brown signs may indicate establishments that provide restaurant facilities, light refreshments or overnight accommodation.
Licensed camping and caravan sites, youth hostels managed by the Youth Hostels Association or Scottish Youth Hostels Association, picnic areas, viewpoints and parking places with tourist information may also be indicated by brown signs.
Camping and caravan site: the tent or the caravan symbol may be omitted, depending on the facilities available. The name of the camp site may be shown.
Youth hostel.
Picnic area: may include a name.
Distance to a parking place with toilets, tourist information, picnic area, telephone and viewpoint. The symbols may be varied as appropriate.
Parking signs
Direction signs indicating parking places, such as off-street car parks, have white backgrounds, even on primary routes. Where the parking destination is incorporated into a primary route sign with a green background, it is shown on a white panel.
The signs may include various details about the parking places.
Where parking places in different directions are shown on a sign in advance of a junction, the ‘P’ symbol may be shown at the top of the sign only.
Where a parking place is for a particular class of vehicle, this may be shown by the appropriate symbol. This sign indicates a lorry park that is reached by making a U-turn at a roundabout ahead.
This map-type sign indicates the direction of routes to parking places from a double mini-roundabout ahead. The route to the right leads to a parking place for solo motorcycles only.
Direction and distance to a multi-storey car park.
Direction to a parking place that is available on certain days only.
A variable message sign may indicate the availability of spaces at each parking place. Some signs may show the number of vacant spaces; these are updated at regular intervals throughout the day.
Direction to a parking place that has been approved by the police under the Safer Parking Scheme.
Direction to a parking place showing the total number of spaces.
Sign showing the facilities available at a parking place ahead. The lorry symbol is omitted where there is no restriction on the class of vehicle.
Signs may indicate the location of parking places associated with ‘Park and Ride’ schemes. Where appropriate, the bus symbol is changed to another form of transport, e.g. tram, national railway or London Underground. The sign may include the name of the Park and Ride site or the place that it serves. It may also include the times of operation. Other direction signs may incorporate the blue ‘Park and Ride’ panel.
Signs for drivers of goods vehicles
Routes recommended for goods vehicles have black signs with a white lorry symbol. Other direction signs may incorporate black lorry route panels. The most suitable route for lorries to a particular destination may be different from that for other vehicles. The lorry symbol faces in the direction in which vehicles turn at a junction. For ahead destinations, the symbol generally faces left. Where route numbers for motorways and primary routes are shown, these are placed on blue and green patches respectively.
Direction sign at a junction.
Direction signs on the approach to a junction.
This sign is used in advance of a junction, advising drivers of goods vehicles of the route to be followed where it is not practicable to sign the route at the junction itself.
Signs for traffic diversions
Where, in an emergency, it is necessary to close a section of motorway or other main road to traffic, a temporary sign may advise drivers to follow a diversion route. To help drivers navigate the route, black symbols on yellow patches may be permanently displayed on existing direction signs, including motorway signs. On all-purpose roads, the symbols may be used on separate signs with yellow backgrounds.
The symbol on this sign may be replaced by route numbers.
Symbols that may be used to indicate a diversion route
Signs incorporating a diversion route symbol that is shown alongside the road number of the route that drivers should follow.
Separate signs indicating a diversion route (may be permanently displayed).
Temporary diversion signs may be required when a road is closed for reasons other than an emergency, e.g. to carry out works.
Examples of other direction signs
The name of the junction ahead may be shown at the top of the sign.
Signs may incorporate hazard warning triangles. In this example there is an opening bridge on the road to the right.
Signs may incorporate prohibitory roundels and indicate alternative routes.
Direction signs at the junction may incorporate warning triangles or prohibitory roundels. A distance plate indicates that the hazard or restriction is not encountered immediately.
A road through a by-passed town or village leads back to the main route.
Staggered crossroads on a dual carriageway road: the white panel with the red border indicates a Ministry of Defence establishment.
Ministry of Defence establishments may also be shown on separate signs with red borders, arrows and chevrons. The background colour is always white, even on a primary route.
This sign shows a local road with three junctions ahead in close proximity. The ‘WC’ and wheelchair symbols indicate toilets with facilities for disabled people. The ‘H’ symbol on a red patch indicates a hospital with A&E facilities (if there is no A&E, a blue patch is used). At hospitals with an urgent treatment centre (UTC), the ‘A&E’ legend is replaced with ‘UTC’.
Local destinations, including a railway station and recycling centre, reached along a primary route.
This sign shows both primary and local destinations that are reached along a primary route at a junction ahead. At some junctions, a separate sign might be used to indicate local destinations where this would avoid putting too much information on a single sign. In this example, the sign indicates that the primary route is a ring road.
These signs are used where there are more destinations than can be accommodated on the signs at a junction. They are located in advance of the first sign for the junction and advise drivers of the routes to be followed for particular destinations.
Signs may indicate an alternative route.
Direction to an airport. The aircraft symbol usually points in the same direction as the arrow, as shown.
Direction to a car ferry. The car symbols are replaced by the words ‘Pedestrian ferry’ when the ferry is for foot passengers only.
Direction to a vehicle ferry. The car symbol is replaced by a second lorry symbol when the ferry is for goods vehicles only.
This primary route sign indicates the directions to a ferry and an airport. It also shows a road to which entry is prohibited.
The route to the left has a priority lane that avoids the roundabout. The route to the right leads to town centre parking and a railway station.
Direction to a London Underground station.
Direction to a Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) testing station for goods vehicles.
Direction to a public telephone.
Direction to public toilets with facilities for disabled people.
Direction to a ‘Shopmobility’ service for disabled people.
A modern version of the traditional fingerpost may be used at some junctions on minor rural roads. The sign may have a square end and may include a distance in miles. More than one destination may be shown.
Signs indicating the direction to a new housing development may be left in place for up to six months after completion of the development.
Signs with a light green background and yellow border are used to indicate the route for emergency vehicles to a permanent incident control point.
Signs with a red background are used to indicate the route for emergency vehicles to a temporary incident control point.
Signs that indicate the appropriate traffic lanes for turning movements at a junction ahead may be used alone or in addition to map-type or stack-type advance direction signs. Signs on primary routes have green backgrounds, and signs on non-primary routes have white backgrounds.
These signs show how traffic lanes on a slip road join the main carriageway of a dual carriageway road at junctions. Signs on primary routes have green backgrounds, and signs on non-primary route have white backgrounds
Sign for drivers on slip road.
Sign for drivers on main carriageway.
The slip road joins the main carriageway as a lane gain to increase the number of lanes from 2 to 3. A distance panel may be added.
Sign for drivers on slip road.
Sign for drivers on main carriageway.
The right-hand lane of the slip road joins the main carriageway as a merge with an acceleration lane. This is followed by the left-hand lane, which joins the main carriageway as a lane gain. Chevron road markings normally separate the 2 lanes on the slip road. The distance may be omitted.