RoadwayUnited Kingdom
Traffic rules
United Kingdom
70. Roadway
A roadway, also called a carriageway, is the part of a road primarily intended for the movement of vehicles. A roadway may carry traffic in one or both directions and may be divided into one or more traffic lanes.
The roadway is only one part of the wider road environment. Cycle paths, pavements, verges, parking areas and other roadside facilities may form separate parts of the road and can be subject to different traffic rules.
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What is a roadway?
A roadway, or carriageway, is the part of a road primarily intended for the movement of vehicles.
Is the roadway the same as the entire road?
No. The complete road can also contain pavements, cycle paths, verges, parking areas, central reservations and other sections that do not form part of the roadway.
Is a traffic lane the same as a roadway?
No. A traffic lane is a portion of the roadway intended for a line of moving vehicles. A roadway may contain one or several lanes.
Can a roadway carry traffic in both directions?
Yes. A roadway may carry two-way traffic or may be restricted to traffic travelling in only one direction.
Is a cycle path part of the roadway?
Normally no when it is legally designated as a separate cycle facility. It may form part of the wider road while remaining separate from the roadway.
Is a pavement part of the roadway?
No. A pavement or sidewalk is normally a separate part of the road intended primarily for pedestrians.
Can a parking area be separate from the roadway?
Yes. A designated parking strip or parking area may form a separate part of the road alongside the roadway.
Where should drivers normally travel?
Drivers normally use the roadway and the traffic lanes intended for their direction of travel, except where another part of the road is specifically provided or permitted for their vehicle category.
Can cyclists use the roadway?
Yes. Cyclists may or must use the roadway when permitted by local rules, particularly where no applicable cycle facility is available or compulsory.
Can pedestrians use the roadway?
Pedestrians may sometimes use the roadway when no suitable pedestrian facility is available, subject to the local rules governing their position and direction of travel.
Can road markings divide a roadway into lanes?
Yes. Continuous or broken longitudinal road markings commonly divide a roadway into individual traffic lanes and regulate how drivers may move between them.
Can different parts of the same road have different rules?
Yes. The roadway, cycle paths, pavements, parking areas and other sections may each have different permitted users and traffic rules.
