End of motorway in 1 mile sign: what it means
This sign shows the distance to the end of the motorway. Motorway rules stop applying where the motorway ends.
What does the end of motorway in 1 mile sign mean?
Know your traffic signs lists it as a sign on the main carriageway showing the distance to the end of the motorway. At the end, a sign without a distance marks where motorway regulations stop.
Quick quiz
What does the sign at the top of this page mean?
- Motorway rules end here.
- Motorway rules apply from here.
- The motorway ends in 1 mile.
Show answer
C. The motorway ends in 1 mile. It shows the distance to the end of the motorway (Know your traffic signs). Source: Know your traffic signs: motorway signs, signals and road markings, GOV.UK; Traffic sign images, Department for Transport, GOV.UK
Where will you see it?
On the main carriageway before a motorway ends.
What should you do?
Get ready for a different road: the speed limit may change, and you may meet junctions, pedestrians and slower traffic.
What do people get wrong?
Keeping motorway habits after the motorway ends. Check the new speed limit and road layout.
Common questions
What changes when the motorway ends?
Motorway regulations stop applying. Check the signs for the speed limit on the new road.
Is there a sign at the end itself?
Yes. The end of motorway sign, without a distance, is placed where the motorway ends.
Compare with
Want to test someone else? Play a road-sign quiz with friends and family.
Sources
Checked on 4 November 2026 against Know your traffic signs (motorway signs, signals and road markings).
- Know your traffic signs: motorway signs, signals and road markings, GOV.UK
- Traffic sign images, Department for Transport, GOV.UK
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Traffic sign images are Crown copyright, from the Department for Transport. Sources and image credits.