Motorways

The rules and skills for joining, driving on, and leaving motorways and smart motorways.

Motorways are the fastest roads — mistakes happen quickly and at high speed. Rules differ from normal roads.

• Stopping on the hard shoulder for a phone call (only for emergencies).
• Hogging the middle lane when lane 1 is clear.
• Joining a motorway too slowly and forcing others to brake.
• Ignoring a red X on a smart motorway gantry.

• Speed limit is 70 mph for cars (60 mph if towing).
• A red X means the lane is closed — leave it immediately.
• On a smart motorway with no hard shoulder, use an emergency refuge area if you break down.
• Always join at a speed that matches the traffic in lane 1.

• Joining the M1 from a slip road: match the traffic speed, signal right, merge into a safe gap.
• You see a 50 mph limit on the overhead gantry — it's mandatory, not advisory.

• Speed limit 70 mph (60 mph towing).
• Red X overhead = lane closed, leave it immediately.
• Hard shoulder is for emergencies only (unless signs say otherwise).