What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks

I've always understood that motorway X signs surrounded by a red ring are mandatory - but what if there's no red ring?

I've always understood that motorway X signs surrounded by a red ring are mandatory, so if you don't obey them, you deserve what you get. However, I have also seen these signs without the red ring around them and have understood this to be an advisory warning only. Am I wrong about this?

Asked on 21 May 2019 by Kevin Greene

Answered by Dan Powell
If red lights on the overhead signals flash above your lane and a red X is showing then you MUST NOT go beyond the signal in that lane. If red lights flash on a signal in the central reservation or at the side of the road, you MUST NOT go beyond the signal in any lane. A static red cross or blank sign above the hard shoulder means that you should not drive on the hard shoulder, except in an emergency or breakdown.
Similar questions
Rather than have dangerous Smart Motorways, why don’t National Highways reduce congestion by simply educating people and enforcing the rule of driving on the left? It is SO frustrating to see drivers...
Driving at night, I notice an increasing number of drivers clearly using their fog lights as an extra set of headlights when there is no fog anywhere to be seen - is this usage legal ?
What should we do if we break down in the live lane of a Smart motorway? Should we ring 999, for example?
 

Value my car

Save £75 on Warranty using code HJ75

with MotorEasy

Get a warranty quote

Save 12% on GAP Insurance

Use HJ21 to save on an ALA policy

See offer