{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/traffic-signs-regulations-and-general-directions-2002/regulation-36",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/traffic-signs-regulations-and-general-directions-2002/regulation-36.json",
  "legislation": "uksi/2002/3113",
  "legislation_title": "The Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2002",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/traffic-signs-regulations-and-general-directions-2002",
  "path": "regulation/36",
  "kind": "regulation",
  "number": "36",
  "heading": "Significance of light signals prescribed by regulations 33 to 35",
  "text": "(1) The significance of the light signals prescribed by regulations 33, 34 and 35 shall be as follows—\n(a) subject to sub-paragraphs (b) to (bc) and, where the red signal is shown at the same time as the green arrow signal, to sub-paragraphs (f) and (g), the red signal shall convey the prohibition that vehicular traffic shall not proceed beyond the stop line;\n(b) when a vehicle is being used for fire brigade Scottish Fire and Rescue Service or, in England, fire and rescue authority or, in England or Wales, fire and rescue authority, ... bomb or explosive disposal ... or police purposes and the observance of the prohibition conveyed by the red signal in accordance with sub-paragraph (a) would be likely to hinder the use of that vehicle for the purpose for which it is being used, then sub-paragraph (a) shall not apply to the vehicle, and the red signal shall convey the prohibition that that vehicle shall not proceed beyond the stop line in a manner or at a time likely to endanger any person or to cause the driver of any vehicle proceeding in accordance with the indications of light signals operating in association with the signals displaying the red signal to change its speed or course in order to avoid an accident;\n(bza) when a vehicle is being used for ambulance or national blood service purposes or for the purpose of providing a response to an emergency at the request of an NHS ambulance service and the observance of the prohibition conveyed by the red signal in accordance with sub-paragraph (a) would be likely to hinder the use of that vehicle for the purpose for which it is being used, then sub-paragraph (a) shall not apply to the vehicle, and the red signal shall convey the prohibition that that vehicle shall not proceed beyond the stop line in a manner or at a time likely to endanger any person or to cause the driver of any vehicle proceeding in accordance with the indications of light signals operating in association with the signals displaying the red signal to change its speed or course in order to avoid an accident;\n(ba) as regards England and Wales, and so far as relating to the functions of the Serious Organised Crime Agency which are exercisable in or as regards Scotland and which relate to reserved matters (within the meaning of the Scotland Act 1998), when a vehicle is being used for Serious Organised Crime Agency purposes and the observance of the prohibition conveyed by the red signal in accordance with sub-paragraph (a) would be likely to hinder the use of that vehicle for those purposes, then sub-paragraph (a) shall not apply to the vehicle, and the red signal shall convey the prohibition that that vehicle shall not proceed beyond the stop line in a manner or at a time likely to endanger any person or to cause the driver of any vehicle proceeding in accordance with the indications of light signals operating in association with the signals displaying the red signal to change its speed or course in order to avoid an accident;\n(bb) so far as relating to the functions of the Serious Organised Crime Agency which are exercisable in or as regards Scotland and which do not (within the meaning of the Scotland Act 1998) relate to reserved matters, when a vehicle is being used for Serious Organised Crime Agency purposes and the observance of the prohibition conveyed by the red signal in accordance with sub-paragraph (a) would be likely to hinder the use of that vehicle for those purposes, then sub-paragraph (a) shall not apply to the vehicle, and the red signal shall convey the prohibition that that vehicle shall not proceed beyond the stop line in a manner or at a time likely to endanger any person or to cause the driver of any vehicle proceeding in accordance with the indications of light signals operating in association with the signals displaying the red signal to change its speed or course in order to avoid an accident;\n(bc) when a vehicle is being used for special forces purposes sub-paragraph (a) shall not apply to the vehicle and the red signal shall convey the prohibition that that vehicle shall not proceed beyond the stop line in a manner or at a time likely to endanger any person or to cause the driver of any vehicle proceeding in accordance with the indications of light signals operating in association with the signals displaying the red signal to change its speed or course in order to avoid an accident;\n(c) the red-with-amber signal shall, subject in a case where it is displayed at the same time as the green arrow signal to sub-paragraph (f), denote an impending change to green or a green arrow in the indication given by the signals but shall convey the same prohibition as the red signal;\n(d) the green signal shall indicate that vehicular traffic may proceed beyond the stop line and proceed straight on or to the left or to the right;\n(e) the amber signal shall, when shown alone, convey the same prohibition as the red signal, except that, as respects any vehicle which is so close to the stop line that it cannot safely be stopped without proceeding beyond the stop line, it shall convey the same indication as the green signal or green arrow signal which was shown immediately before it;\n(f) save as provided in sub-paragraphs (g) and (h), the green arrow signal shall indicate that vehicular traffic may, notwithstanding any other indication given by the signals, proceed beyond the stop line only in the direction indicated by the arrow for the purpose of proceeding in that direction through the junction controlled by those signals;\n(g) where more than one green arrow is affixed to light signals in accordance with regulation 34(1)(b), vehicular traffic, notwithstanding any other indication given by the signals, may proceed beyond the stop line only in the direction indicated by any one of the green arrows for the purpose of proceeding in that direction through the junction controlled by those signals; and\n(h) where the green arrow signal is displayed at the same time as the green signal, vehicular traffic may proceed in the direction indicated by the green arrow in accordance with sub-paragraph (g) or in any other direction in accordance with sub-paragraph (d).\n(2) Vehicular traffic proceeding beyond a stop line in accordance with paragraph (1) shall proceed with due regard to the safety of other road users and subject to any direction given by a constable in uniform , a traffic officer in uniform or a traffic warden or to any other applicable prohibition or restriction.\n(3) In this regulation the expressions “vehicle” and “vehicular traffic” do not include tramcars.",
  "extent": "E+W+S",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Pt. 1 revoked (22.4.2016) by The Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016 (S.I. 2016/362), reg. 1(1)(b), Sch. 19 Pt. 1 (with regs. 4, 14, 15)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Words in reg. 36(1)(a) substituted (15.4.2011) by The Road Traffic Exemptions (Special Forces) (Variation and Amendment) Regulations 2011 (S.I. 2011/935), regs. 1(1), 7(e)(i)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Words in reg. 36(1)(b) substituted (S.) (2.8.2005) by The Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 (Consequential Modifications and Amendments) (No. 2) Order 2005 (S.S.I. 2005/344), art. 1, sch. 1 para. 27(2)(d); S.S.I. 2005/392, art. 2"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "Words in reg. 36(1)(b) substituted (S.) (1.4.2013) by The Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 (Consequential Modifications and Savings) Order 2013 (S.S.I. 2013/119), art. 1, sch. 2 para. 19(2)(d)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F5",
      "text": "Words in reg. 36(1)(b) inserted (E.) (30.12.2004) by The Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004 (Consequential Amendments) (England) Order 2004 (S.I. 2004/3168), arts. 1(1), 64(2)(d)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F6",
      "text": "Words in reg. 36(1)(b) inserted (W.) (25.10.2005) by The Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004 (Consequential Amendments) (Wales) Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/2929), arts. 1(1), 74(2)(d)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F7",
      "text": "Word in reg. 36(1)(b) omitted (26.5.2015) by virtue of Deregulation Act 2015 (c. 20), s. 115(3)(d), Sch. 9 para. 25(2)(a)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F8",
      "text": "Words in reg. 36(1)(b) omitted (26.5.2015) by virtue of Deregulation Act 2015 (c. 20), s. 115(3)(d), Sch. 9 para. 25(2)(b)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F9",
      "text": "Reg. 36(1)(bza) inserted (26.5.2015) by Deregulation Act 2015 (c. 20), s. 115(3)(d), Sch. 9 para. 25(3)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F10",
      "text": "Reg. 36(1)(ba) inserted (1.4.2006) by The Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 (Consequential and Supplementary Amendments to Secondary Legislation) Order 2006 (S.I. 2006/594), art. 1, Sch. para. 32(6)(b)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F11",
      "text": "Reg. 36(1)(bb) inserted (S.) (1.4.2006) by The Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 (Consequential and Supplementary Amendments) (Scotland) Order 2006 (S.S.I. 2006/129), art. 1, sch. para. 8(7)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F12",
      "text": "Reg. 36(1)(bc) inserted (15.4.2011) by The Road Traffic Exemptions (Special Forces) (Variation and Amendment) Regulations 2011 (S.I. 2011/935), regs. 1(1), 7(e)(ii)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F13",
      "text": "Words in reg. 36(2) inserted (30.1.2012) by The Traffic Signs (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations and General Directions 2011 (S.I. 2011/3041), regs. 1(1)(c), 17 (with regs. 35, 36)"
    },
    {
      "type": "I",
      "label": "I1",
      "text": "Reg. 36 in force at 31.1.2003, see reg. 1(b)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2002/3113/regulation/36",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T06:35:51.675498+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}