Traffic calming
Updated 5 December 2023
Applies to England, Scotland and Wales
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Traffic calming is the term used to describe physical features provided along a road to encourage drivers to reduce speed. These features are introduced for the safety of all road users, particularly pedestrians and cyclists. Traffic-calming schemes can employ a variety of measures, including road humps and narrowings. Warning signs often indicate the type of measure to be expected. There may be an entry sign at the boundary of an area that has traffic-calming features.
Entrance to a traffic-calmed area. The name of the area may be shown. The sign may also be used in advance of the area and show a distance. Where the traffic-calmed area is reached by turning into a side road, the sign will include an arrow.
Road humps
Road humps may have a flat or round top, extending across the width of the road or covering a whole junction. They may also be in the form of a ‘cushion’, covering only part of a traffic lane and designed to allow buses and large emergency vehicles to straddle them, while slowing other vehicles. Warning signs may be erected at the beginning of the road where a hump or series of humps is installed.
Road humps for distance shown. May be varied to ‘Hump’ with distance omitted.
Alternative plates used with ‘road hump’ sign:
Road humps for distance shown and in direction indicated.
Road hump in the distance and direction indicated.
A road hump is normally marked with white triangle and edge line markings.
Zebra, parallel and signal-controlled pedestrian crossings are sometimes located on flat-top humps. These may be indicated by advance warning signs.
Zebra or parallel crossing on a road hump.
Signal-controlled pedestrian crossing on a road hump.
Road narrowings
Roads may be reduced in width by the use of build-outs on one or both sides. When placed on both sides, they may be opposite each other or staggered. Priority through the narrowing may be controlled by signs and ‘give way’ markings. It is essential that you obey signs indicating priority to vehicles coming from the opposite direction.
If priority is not given to either direction at a road narrowing, you should ensure that you can pass through without endangering occupants in vehicles approaching from the other direction. Do not accelerate on the approach to a narrowing, but maintain a steady low speed and be prepared to give way to approaching traffic. Let any cyclists proceed ahead of you.
Warning signs indicating which side the narrowing occurs may be used in advance, especially where priority signs and markings are not provided.
Road narrows on left (right if symbol reversed).
Road narrows on both sides.
20 mph zones
Some traffic-calmed areas are indicated by the 20 mph zone entry sign. This sign, as well as indicating a 20 mph speed limit, warns drivers that they are entering an area with traffic-calming features, such as road humps and road narrowings. These features may not be individually signed and, in these areas, it is important that you adopt a steady low speed and avoid repeated acceleration and deceleration. The zone might include 20 mph speed limit repeater signs and road markings.
Entrance to a 20 mph zone.
End of 20 mph zone and start of 30 mph speed limit.
Home Zones
Home Zones are residential areas with streets designed to be places for people as well as for motor traffic. The road space is shared among drivers and other road users. People could be using the whole of the space for a range of activities. You should drive slowly and carefully and be prepared to stop to allow people extra time to make room for you to pass them in safety.
Entrance to a Home Zone.
End of Home Zone.
Quiet Lanes
Some minor rural roads in England and Wales may be designated as Quiet Lanes. These are appropriate for shared use by walkers, cyclists, horse riders and motor vehicles. You should drive slowly and carefully and be prepared to stop to allow people extra time to make room for you to pass them in safety.
Start of designated Quiet Lane.
End of Quiet Lane.
Share space
This is a street or place designed to reduce the dominance of motor vehicles and where motorists, cyclists and pedestrians should expect to share the same space. Motorists should drive slowly and carefully and be prepared to stop to allow pedestrians and cyclists extra time to make room to pass them in safety.
Share space road or place ahead.
Other features
Rumble devices across the road, either in the form of strips or larger areas, may be used to provide a visual, audible and vibratory effect, often in rural locations. The intention is to alert drivers to a hazard ahead, usually a bend or road junction, and encourage them to reduce speed. A warning sign may be used in association with a rumble device to identify the hazard, but the device itself is not the hazard and is not usually specifically signed.
Gateways into villages may be formed from the combination of speed limit signs, yellow backing boards and village name plates. Central hatched markings or islands may also be used to separate opposing traffic. Drivers approaching the gateways should reduce speed and observe the speed limit all the way through the village.
Example of a village gateway.
Some parts of the carriageway may have a coloured surface to emphasise the road markings.