Two-way traffic crossing ahead sign: what it means
The triangle with arrows pointing left and right warns that a road with two-way traffic crosses the road ahead. Traffic may come from both sides.
What does the two-way traffic crossing ahead sign mean?
Know your traffic signs calls it “two-way traffic on route crossing ahead”. The Highway Code shows it as two-way traffic crossing a one-way road.
The two-way traffic sign, with arrows up and down, warns of two-way traffic straight ahead instead.
Quick quiz
What does the sign at the top of this page mean?
- Traffic ahead goes in both directions.
- All traffic goes in the direction of the arrow.
- A two-way road crosses the one-way road ahead.
Show answer
C. A two-way road crosses the one-way road ahead. It warns that two-way traffic crosses the road ahead (Know your traffic signs). Source: Know your traffic signs: warning signs, GOV.UK; The Highway Code: traffic signs, GOV.UK; Traffic sign images, Department for Transport, GOV.UK
Where will you see it?
On one-way streets, before a crossing road where traffic runs in both directions.
What should you do?
Slow down and look both left and right for crossing traffic.
What do people get wrong?
Looking only one way, as you do on a one-way street. Crossing traffic can come from either side.
Common questions
How is it different from the two-way traffic sign?
The two-way traffic sign has arrows pointing up and down and means two-way traffic straight ahead. This one has arrows pointing left and right for a crossing road.
Is it an order?
No. It is a warning triangle.
Compare with
Two-way traffic signTraffic ahead goes in both directions.
One-way traffic signAll traffic goes in the direction of the arrow.
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 (warning signs) and The Highway Code (traffic signs).
- Know your traffic signs: warning signs, GOV.UK
- The Highway Code: traffic signs, 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.