Car parks in the United Kingdom

Rules of the road: United Kingdom

Keep left, give way to the right

Traffic drives on the left and overtaking happens on the right. Roundabouts are taken clockwise, giving priority to traffic approaching from your right unless signs, markings or lights say otherwise; signal left once you pass the exit before yours. Red and amber lit together still mean stop, so wait for green. Never enter a yellow criss-cross box junction until your exit is clear, except to wait for a right turn when oncoming traffic holds you up.

Limits in miles per hour

Speed limits are set in miles per hour and keep the mph unit on every sign. Unless signs show otherwise, cars may do 30 mph in built-up areas of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, 60 mph on single carriageways and 70 mph on dual carriageways and motorways. When towing a caravan or trailer, the maximum falls to 50 mph on single carriageways and 60 mph on dual carriageways and motorways. A limit is a ceiling, not a target in bad weather.

Wales: 20 mph by default

Since September 2023, restricted roads in Wales have a default limit of 20 mph. These are usually residential and busy built-up streets, often with street lights no more than 200 yards apart. Following public suggestions made in 2024, local highway authorities have been reviewing roads where 30 mph may return, so limits can differ from one street to the next. Trust the signs in front of you rather than an older sat nav.

Alcohol and phones

In England, Wales and Northern Ireland the limit is 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100 ml of breath, or 80 mg per 100 ml of blood. Scotland is stricter: 22 micrograms in breath and 50 mg in blood for the same volumes. GOV.UK stresses that no number of drinks is safe to rely on. Holding a phone or sat nav while driving is illegal, even at lights or in a queue, and costs 6 penalty points and a £200 fine. Hands-free use is allowed.

London: ULEZ and Congestion Charge

The ULEZ covers all London boroughs, 24 hours a day, every day except 25 December. Foreign-registered vehicles must meet its emission standards or pay the daily charge, and TfL requires them to be registered with it even when they comply. The Congestion Charge is a separate fee for central London at set times. Both are paid online through Pay to drive in London, in advance or up to 3 days afterwards, or automatically with Auto Pay.

Clean Air Zones in England

Several English cities run Clean Air Zones where vehicles below the emission standard pay a charge. Private cars are only charged in Class D zones, which is the case in Birmingham and Bristol; elsewhere the zones target buses, taxis, vans or lorries. The charge is due by 23:59 on the 6th day after entering, and can be paid up to 6 days before. The official GOV.UK checker cannot look up vehicles registered outside the UK.

Scotland's Low Emission Zones

Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow have Low Emission Zones in their city centres, enforced 24 hours a day every day, Christmas Day included. Cars must reach Euro 4 for petrol or Euro 6 for diesel. There is no fee to enter, and prepaying is not possible: a non-compliant car receives a £60 penalty, cut to £30 if paid within 14 days, doubling with each repeat within 90 days up to £480. For a foreign vehicle, check the Euro standard in its manual or with the manufacturer.

Dartford Crossing: pay afterwards

The Dartford Crossing over the Thames east of London has its own charge, the Dart Charge. It applies between 6:00 and 22:00, weekends and bank holidays included, and crossing outside those hours is free. Pay by midnight on the day after you cross, online, by phone, by post or in a Payzone shop. A prepay account brings savings of up to 20%. Motorcycles, mopeds and quad bikes do not pay.

Yellow lines and kerbside rules

Double yellow lines ban waiting at any time, even with no sign nearby. A single yellow line bans waiting only during the hours on the nearby time plate. At night, you must not park facing against the traffic flow unless you are in a marked parking space. Parking partly or fully on the pavement is banned in London and Scotland, apart from limited exceptions. Bays for Blue Badge holders, residents or motorcycles are off limits without entitlement.

Sources:GOV.UK, The Highway Code: using the road (rules 159 to 203), GOV.UK, The Highway Code: light signals controlling traffic, GOV.UK, The Highway Code: waiting and parking (rules 238 to 252), GOV.UK, Speed limits, Welsh Government, Introducing default 20mph speed limits, GOV.UK, The drink drive limit, GOV.UK, Using mobile phones when driving: the law, Transport for London, Ultra Low Emission Zone, Transport for London, Congestion Charge, Transport for London, Pay to drive in London, GOV.UK, Driving in a Clean Air Zone, GOV.UK, Check if you need to pay to drive in a Clean Air Zone, mygov.scot, Low Emission Zones, mygov.scot, Check if you can drive a vehicle in a Low Emission Zone, mygov.scot, Fines for Low Emission Zones, GOV.UK, Pay the Dartford Crossing charge (Dart Charge). Information checked in October 2026.