Stop when lights show sign: what it means
This plate, used with level crossing warning signs, warns that the level crossing ahead has light signals. When the lights show, you must stop.
What does the STOP when lights show sign mean?
Know your traffic signs describes it as advance warning of light signals at a level crossing, with or without a gate or barrier. At the crossing, a steady amber light comes first and means stop unless it is unsafe to do so. Then twin red lights flash, and they mean stop.
Quick quiz
What does the sign at the top of this page mean?
- A railway crossing with gates or barriers is ahead.
- Light signals ahead at a level crossing.
- A railway crossing with no gates or barriers is ahead.
Show answer
B. Light signals ahead at a level crossing. The plate gives advance warning of light signals at a level crossing (Know your traffic signs). Source: Know your traffic signs: level crossing signs and signals, GOV.UK; The Highway Code, rule 293, GOV.UK; The Highway Code: light signals controlling traffic, GOV.UK; Traffic sign images, Department for Transport, GOV.UK
Where will you see it?
Under a level crossing warning triangle on the approach to an automatic crossing.
What should you do?
When the amber light shows, stop behind the white line unless you have already crossed it. When the red lights flash, you must stop and wait. If a train passes and the red lights keep flashing, another train is coming (Rule 293).
What do people get wrong?
Speeding up to beat the amber light. At a level crossing amber means stop unless it is unsafe to do so, and a train may already be close.
Common questions
What does a steady amber light at a level crossing mean?
Stop, unless it is unsafe to do so. Keep going if you have already crossed the white line when the amber light comes on (The Highway Code, rule 293).
Does the plate mean the crossing has barriers?
Not necessarily. The plate is used at crossings with or without a gate or barrier (Know your traffic signs).
Compare with
Level crossing with barrier signA railway crossing with gates or barriers is ahead.
Level crossing without barrier signA railway crossing with no gates or barriers is ahead.
Want to test someone else? Play a road-sign quiz with friends and family.
Sources
Checked on 3 November 2026 against Know your traffic signs (level crossing signs and signals) and The Highway Code rule 293.
- Know your traffic signs: level crossing signs and signals, GOV.UK
- The Highway Code, rule 293, GOV.UK
- The Highway Code: light signals controlling traffic, 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.