UK Road Markings

Stop Lines

• Description: Thick solid white lines.
• Meaning: Indicate where vehicles must stop at junctions, stop signs, and traffic signals.
• Importance: Ensures vehicles stop before crossing pedestrian paths or entering intersections.

Give Way Lines

• Description: Broken white lines with thicker dashes.
• Meaning: Indicate where drivers must yield to traffic on the major road.
• Importance: Alerts drivers to upcoming priority changes and maintains priority and flow on main roads, reducing collision risks.

Broken White Lines

• Description: Short white dashed lines along the middle of the carriageway.
• Meaning: Separate lanes of traffic moving in the same direction.
• Importance: Clarify lane boundaries and guide lane discipline.

Continuous White Lines

• Description: Solid white lines.
• Meaning: Prohibit changing lanes.
• Importance: Enhance safety by preventing sudden lane changes in hazardous areas.

Double White Lines

• Description: Pair of parallel white lines down the centre of the road, one solid and one broken, or both solid.
• Meaning: Indicate where overtaking is allowed or prohibited. The side of the road with the solid line may not overtake.
• Importance: Manage overtaking safely on curves, hills, or areas with limited visibility.

White Zigzag Lines

• Description: Zigzag patterns near pedestrian crossings.
• Meaning: No parking or overtaking.
• Importance: Enhance pedestrian safety by keeping visibility clear.

School Keep Clear Zones

• Description: Yellow zigzag lines with “SCHOOL KEEP CLEAR” text.
• Meaning: No stopping or parking during school hours.
• Importance: Ensure the safety of children by keeping areas around schools clear.

Double Yellow Lines

• Description: Double yellow lines along the kerb.
• Meaning: No waiting at any time.
• Importance: Ensure road access and clear paths at all times.

Red Lines

• Description: Single or double red lines.
• Meaning: No stopping at any time (double) or during specified times (single).
• Importance: Maintain clear routes for emergency and priority vehicles and allow traffic to flow.

Edge Lines

• Description: Solid white lines at road edges.
• Meaning: Mark the boundary of the road.
• Importance: Help drivers stay on the road.

Centre Lines

• Description: Lines marking the centre of the road.
• Meaning: Separate opposing traffic flows.
• Importance: Prevent head-on collisions.

Double Broken White Lines

• Description: Two parallel broken white lines.
• Meaning: Indicate that the driver is approaching a hazard or needs to give way.
• Importance: Warn drivers of upcoming changes or hazards.

Bus Lane Markings

• Description: Marked lanes with “BUS LANE” signage.
• Meaning: Designated for buses and authorised vehicles.
• Importance: Prioritises public transport and reduces congestion.

Cycle Lanes

• Description: Marked lanes with bicycle symbols.
• Meaning: Reserved for cyclists.
• Importance: Promote safe cycling and reduce vehicular conflicts.

Green Coloured Lanes

• Description: Green painted lanes.
• Meaning: Often used for cycle lanes or bus lanes.
• Importance: Enhances visibility of reserved lanes.

Zebra Crossings

• Description: Alternating black and white stripes.
• Meaning: Pedestrians have right of way. Vehicles must stop for pedestrians even though there are no traffic lights.
• Importance: Ensure pedestrian safety at crossings.

Pedestrian Crossings with Stop Lines

• Description: Stop lines preceding pedestrian crossings.
• Meaning: Vehicles must stop for pedestrians at the traffic lights.
• Importance: Reinforce pedestrian right of way.

EV Charging Bays

• Description: Marked bays with “EV” or electric vehicle symbols.
• Meaning: Reserved for electric vehicles while charging.
• Importance: Facilitate access to charging infrastructure for electric vehicles.

Disabled Parking Bays

• Description: Disabled parking symbol in either white, blue or yellow. This symbol is usually seen in yellow but can also be found in white on a blue background. 
• Meaning: Designates parking for those with a disability.
• Importance: Reserves spaces near amenities for blue badge holders and provides additional space each side of the disabled parking bay.

Loading Bays and Lorry Parking Bays

• Description: Marked areas with “LOADING ONLY” in white or yellow.
• Meaning: Reserved for loading and unloading.
• Importance: Ensure space for goods transfer.

White Bay Markings

• Description: White dashed or solid lines forming bays.
• Meaning: Designate parking or loading areas.
• Importance: Organise parking spaces and loading bays.

• Description: V-shaped patterns usually in white.
• Meaning: Reminds drivers to keep at least a 2-second gap between themselves and the vehicle in front.
• Importance: Prevents tailgating and reduces the risk of collisions.

• Description: Numbers on the road surface.
• Meaning: Indicate maximum speed limits.
• Importance: Reinforce speed limits directly on the road for driver awareness.

• Description: Temporary lines or symbols, often in yellow or orange.
• Meaning: Guide traffic through construction zones.
• Importance: Maintain safety and order during roadworks.

• Description: Diagonal stripes usually in white or yellow line marking paint. They are commonly seen between lanes or along the side of the road
• Meaning: Create buffer zones on dual carriageways and near junctions.
• Importance: Designed to separate traffic and provide an additional margin of safety