Legal status of red X lane closed signs

[rorschach]

Couldn't find any posts on this after a search - as I understand it, when a lane is closed the advisory, orange signs will indicate that traffic should move over as the lane is closed further on; but when you get to the red X lane closed symbol, it is then illegal to be in that lane ? Just curious as it's normally full of BMW's and Lexus tonka trucks fighting to join the traffic that has already nicely merged

Oh, and I always make a point of not letting them in...

[UpTheIron]

Yes. A colleague of mine recently collected fine/points as a result (as did many others also in the lane at the same time as him).

Don't recall the exact offence though.

[Rushjob]

Failing to conform to regulatory traffic sign / signal
www.highwaycode.gov.uk/23.shtml#227

[john_p]

The Highway Code said:

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.

Has anyone ever seen this? Say it was 2am, empty motorway and you saw this sign lit up - would you want to sit there stationary waiting for a lorry to hit you?? Or would curiosity get the better of you and would you continue?

[Mr Peevly]

UpTheIron is right - It's an offence.

It's covered by the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 1994 (www.hmso.gov.uk/si/si1994/Uksi_19941519_en_1.htm)

relevant section:

(4) The significance of the light signals prescribed in this regulation shall be as follows


(a) the red cross shall convey to vehicular traffic proceeding in the traffic lane above which it is displayed the prohibition that such traffic shall not proceed beyond the red cross in the traffic lane until that prohibition is cancelled by a display over that traffic lane of the downward green arrow or diagonal white arrow or by a display over that traffic lane or beside the carriageway of the traffic sign shown in diagram 5015 or 6001;


HTH

[pbrettle]

Yeap, circle - enforceable, anything else is purely precaution. If its a circle then expect to get prosecuted...

Oh, and what I mean is the type of sign. If its circular with a red surround then its enforceable.

>> Edited by pbrettle on Monday 11th August 23:19