# Traffic Signs Manual/Chapter 5/2009/16

GENERAL
16.1 Cycle facilities may take the form of cycle lanes (see paras 16.4 to 16.13) which run along the road and form part of the carriageway, and cycle tracks which are separate from the carriageway and meet up with it only to cross or join it (see paras 16.14 to 16.19). Cycle lanes may be mandatory, where other vehicles are excluded for at least part of the day (see paras 16.4 to 16.8), or advisory, where other vehicles may enter if necessary and when it is safe to do so (see paras 16.9 and 16.10). Coloured surfacing (see para 16.12) may be helpful.
16.2 Cycle lanes should be a minimum of 1.5 m wide. Widths less than this give cyclists very little room to manoeuvre around debris, surface defects or gulley gratings. Slightly narrower widths may nevertheless sometimes be helpful over short lengths, e.g. on the immediate approach to a junction. Where cycle flows are heavy, there may be advantages in increasing the width up to 2.0 m, but lanes wider than this are likely to be abused by other traffic.
16.3 For use on cycle lanes and tracks, the Regulations prescribe half-size variants of diagrams 1003 (Give Way line), 1009 (edge of carriageway) and 1023 (Give Way triangle), and small versions of the SLOW marking (diagram 1058.1) and the lane arrow (diagram 1059), see paras 16.23 to 16.25. The markings to diagrams 1040, 1040.2, 1041 and 1041.1 may have one of the boundary lines omitted when used alongside the line to diagram 1049 marking a cycle lane. Diagram 1057 (cycle symbol) is prescribed with alternative dimensions. The width of lane available and the required conspicuity of the marking will determine the appropriate size; the largest (1700 mm) is used with the advanced stop line (see paras 16.20 to 16.22). When used with a right turn arrow, the cycle symbol should be reversed to face right.
MANDATORY CYCLE LANES
16.4 Mandatory cycle lanes are parts of the carriageway which other vehicles must not enter except to pick up or set down passengers, or in case of emergency. They may be either with-flow (see ​figure 16-1) or contra-flow (see figure 16-2). Contraflow lanes apply for 24 hours, but with-flow lanes may operate for shorter periods, e.g. morning and evening peak hours.
16.5 With-flow mandatory cycle lanes are bounded by a 150 mm continuous white line to diagram 1049. The marking should be interrupted for the length of any bus stop marked by diagram 1025.1. At side road junctions the mandatory lane should change to an advisory one bordered by a 150 mm wide line to diagram 1004 or 1004.1; an additional cycle symbol to diagram 1057 should be placed in the lane in front of drivers emerging from the side road. The marking to diagram 1049 may be continued across private driveways; the traffic regulation order should provide exemption for access.
16.6 Regulation 4 requires the start of a cycle lane to be marked with a broken line to diagram 1009 (600 mm mark, 300 mm gap). If the speed limit is 40 mph or less, the 150 mm wide line is used, otherwise it should be 200 mm wide. As other traffic must not enter a mandatory cycle lane, adequate warning of the approach should be given by ensuring that the inclination of this line is no sharper than 1:10. Cycle symbol markings (diagram 1057) must be placed at the start of the lane and should be repeated after every break, as well as at suitable intervals on long uninterrupted lengths. A sign to diagram 958.1 should be used in advance of a mandatory cycle lane, together with an arrow to diagram 1014, and signs to diagram 959.1 must be used at intervals along its length.
16.7 A traffic regulation order will be required to prohibit other vehicles from using the lane (except for emergency and statutory purposes). The order should also prohibit waiting and loading during the operational hours of the lane. Yellow "no waiting" lines and kerb “no loading” marks are not necessary, unless it is required to prohibit waiting or loading for some period outside the operational hours of the cycle lane. In practice, many authorities nevertheless provide yellow lines and loading marks, even when the restrictions do not apply outside these hours, to encourage better compliance. Upright signs detailing the times of waiting and loading restrictions must then also be used.
​16.8 Contra-flow mandatory cycle lanes (see figure 16-2) are marked in a similar way to with-flow lanes, except that the marking to diagram 1009 at the commencement of the lane will be laid at right angles to it, as the lane normally starts at a junction. The sign to diagram 960.1 is used to warn traffic travelling in the opposite direction. Waiting and loading should be prohibited at all times to avoid the lane becoming obstructed and thereby putting cyclists into conflict with oncoming vehicles.
ADVISORY CYCLE LANES
16.9 Advisory cycle lanes are parts of the carriageway which other vehicles should not enter unless it is seen to be safe to do so. They should normally be with-flow (see figure 16-3), but may be contra-flow, in which case the signs would need to be specially authorised (see para 2.1). They should be bounded by a 100 mm wide warning line to diagram 1004 where the speed limit is 40 mph or less, or 1004.1 where it is greater than 40 mph. The line may be widened to 150 mm for greater emphasis, but in a two-way road it should never be wider than the centre line. For a contra-flow lane, the wider line should always be used.
16.10 The start of the cycle lane must be marked by a broken line to diagram 1009 (600 mm mark, 300 mm gap). If the speed limit is 40 mph or less, the 150 mm wide line is used, otherwise it should be 200 mm wide. As the lane is advisory, it is not essential for other vehicles to be deflected in advance of it. Angles between the line and the kerb of 30º to 45º are therefore often adequate, although longer taper lengths may be used. Cycle symbol markings (diagram 1057) and upright signs (diagram 967) must be placed at the start of the lane and after every break, as well as at suitable intervals on long uninterrupted lengths. Waiting and loading restrictions should be implemented to cover the times when the lane is most heavily used and should be indicated by the use of yellow lines, kerb markings and appropriate upright signs. An advisory cycle lane may be continued on the off side of a parking bay as shown in figure 16-3. Adequate clearance should be provided to allow for carelessly opened car doors.
​USE OF BUS LANES BY CYCLES
16.11 Cycles are normally allowed to use with-flow bus lanes; the BUS LANE marking to diagram 1048 is used. Upright signs to diagram 958 and 959 indicate that cycles may use the lane. Where cycles are permitted to use contra-flow bus lanes, markings to diagram 1048.1 BUS AND (cycle symbol) LANE must be used in place of diagram 1048. This marking must not be used in with-flow bus lanes.
COLOURED ROAD SURFACES
16.12 Cycle lanes and cycle reservoirs (see paras 16.20 to 16.22) may be surfaced in coloured material in order to demarcate them more emphatically and to discourage encroachment by motor vehicles. However, coloured surfacing has no legal significance; it is the prescribed traffic signs and road markings that establish the legal status of a cycle lane.
CYCLE LANES AT PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS
16.13 Cycle lane markings must not be continued through the zig-zag area of a pedestrian crossing. Apart from the potentially confusing effect, they might also affect the legality of the marking of the crossing. If coloured surfacing is used for the cycle lane, this may be continued through the controlled area (although not through the crossing place itself), but the zig-zag marking must remain at the edge of the carriageway.
CYCLE TRACKS
16.14 A cycle track may be a physically segregated part of a highway, or form a separate highway entirely distinct from the road system. It may form a route for cycles only, a segregated route shared with pedestrians where cyclists and pedestrians use separate parts of the track, or an unsegregated route where both cyclists and pedestrians use the full width of the track.
16.15 Where a route is divided into separate parts for the use of cyclists and of pedestrians, segregation may be achieved using the continuous marking to diagram 1049 (150 mm width) or by the raised profile marking to diagram 1049.1 (see figure 16-4). The latter is more easily detected by blind and partially-sighted pedestrians. Alternatively, separation may be effected by the use of railings, a difference in level, or by the use of contrasting coloured surfaces (direction 33).
​CYCLE TRACKS CROSSING ROADS
16.16 Except as described in para 3.25, a cycle track crossing a road will be the minor road at a priority junction, and marked as shown in figure 16-5, or be under signal control (see figure 16-6). The marking (sometimes known as "elephant's footprints") formerly shown on working drawing WBM 294 and in LTN 1 / 86 "Cyclists at Road Crossings and Junctions" should never be used to indicate an unsignalled crossing point. It is liable to cause confusion, and be misunderstood as giving cyclists priority over road traffic. At signalled crossings, the marking to diagram 1055.1 is usually adequate to indicate the crossing point for cyclists. However, if the route to be followed is not straightforward, the "elephant's footprints" marking might be helpful. As it is not prescribed, special authorisation must be sought from the Secretary of State (see para 2.1).
16.17 The 200 mm Stop line (diagram 1001) or the half-size variants of the Give Way markings (diagrams 1003 and if required 1023, see figure 16-5) together with the smaller size edge line to diagram 1009, should be used for a two-way cycle track at such locations. Where an unsegregated cycle track shared with pedestrians joins a road, the Stop line or Give Way marking should be used across the full width of the track and the cycle symbol to diagram 1057 should not be used.
16.18 If the cycle track crosses a dual carriageway road, the crossing should be staggered in the direction that turns cyclists to face oncoming traffic. The junction between the track and the main carriageway should be marked in accordance with the principles shown in figure 16-5 for a priority junction and figure 16-6 for a signalled junction.
16.19 Signs to diagram 963.1 (CYCLE TRACK LOOK BOTH WAYS) may be used to warn pedestrians of cyclists crossing the footway. The warning signs to diagram 950 or 543 as appropriate may be used to warn main road traffic of the crossing point.
ADVANCED STOP LINES FOR CYCLISTS
16.20 Figure 16-7 shows typical layouts for an advanced stop line (diagram 1001.2) forming a reservoir space for cyclists at signalled junctions. They may not be used at level crossings or standalone signal-controlled crossings (for pedestrians, cyclists or equestrians).
16.21 Vehicles other than cycles must stop at the first line when signalled to do so. An advisory or mandatory cycle lane, preferably 1.5 m wide, must be provided to enable cyclists to enter the reservoir lawfully, i.e. without crossing the first stop line. The two Stop lines must be between 4 and 5 m apart; the area between them across the full width of the approach is available for cyclists to wait at the red ight. This area and the approach lane may be highlighted using coloured surfacing (see also para 16.12). The Stop lines should be 200 mm or 300 mm wide (see para 3.7) and the boundary line should be the same width as the centre line of the road (this may be omitted where it is adjacent to a kerb).
16.22 Where there is a significant left turn flow of motor vehicles, but cyclists travel straight ahead, the approach cycle lane may be positioned centrally (see figure 16-7). The lane will be advisory, as it can then be indicated using markings to diagram 1057 and 1004 or 1004.1 without the need for an upright sign.
WORDED MARKINGS AND ARROWS
16.23 Figure 16-8 shows the reduced size SLOW marking to diagram 1058.1. The available lane width will determine the appropriate size.
16.24 The END marking (diagram 1058) is used only at the end of a route. It is not intended to be used at short breaks, nor where facilities continue in another form. It is prescribed in three sizes (750 x 705 mm, 1100 x 1035 mm and 1700 x 1600 mm). The available lane width will determine the appropriate size.
16.25 Figure 16-9 shows reduced size arrows to diagram 1059. The smaller size arrow should be used with the smallest size of cycle symbol.
This work has been mirrored or sourced from material provided on the UK Government website at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/traffic-signs-manual, which states material is available under the terms of the Open Government License unless indicated otherwise. (Crown copyright acknowledged.)
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This version was transcribed in May 2015, from a 2009 impression.
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