No stopping (clearway) sign: what it means

No stopping clearway sign: a blue circle with a red ring and a red cross
Image: Crown copyright, OGL

The no stopping sign, a red cross on a blue circle, marks a clearway: you must not stop on the main carriageway, not even to pick up or set down passengers.

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What it means

Know your traffic signs: the red cross means no stopping, not even to pick up or set down passengers. On its own it marks a 24-hour clearway, usually on a rural road.

On a 24-hour clearway the ban covers the main carriageway, slip roads and acceleration and deceleration areas. You may stop in a lay-by unless signs say otherwise. Rule 240 lists a clearway among the places you must not stop or park.

Where you see it

On 24-hour clearways, often rural main roads, with smaller repeater signs along the way. In towns, urban clearways work during set hours and do let you stop briefly to pick up or set down passengers.

A common mistake

Pulling over for a quick drop-off. On a 24-hour clearway even that is not allowed, so wait for a lay-by.

Quick quiz

You are on a 24-hour clearway and your passenger wants to get out. Where may you stop?

  1. On the carriageway with hazard lights on
  2. In a lay-by, unless signs say otherwise
  3. On the slip road
Show answer

B. In a lay-by, unless signs say otherwise. The clearway ban covers the main carriageway and slip roads, but you may stop in a lay-by unless signs say otherwise. Source: The Highway Code, rule 240, GOV.UK; Know your traffic signs: on-street parking control signs and road markings, GOV.UK; The Highway Code: traffic signs, GOV.UK; Traffic sign images, Department for Transport, GOV.UK

Compare with

Next in regulatory signs: One-way traffic sign. See all regulatory signs or the full road signs list.

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Sources

  1. The Highway Code, rule 240, GOV.UK
  2. Know your traffic signs: on-street parking control signs and road markings, GOV.UK
  3. The Highway Code: traffic signs, GOV.UK
  4. Traffic sign images, Department for Transport, GOV.UK

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Traffic sign images are Crown copyright, from the Department for Transport. Sources and image credits.