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Temporary sign

STOP WORKS sign

STOP WORKS sign: a yellow circle with a red border and the words STOP WORKS
Sign image: Department for Transport, © Crown copyright

What does the Stop works sign mean?

A hand-held sign used during works on or near a road. You must stop and not go past it while it is shown.

Also known as: Stop works lollipop

What it means

Traffic must not go beyond the sign while it is being shown, for a short period during works.

A worker holds this sign up to stop traffic briefly, for example while a vehicle or equipment crosses the road.

Stop and wait until it is taken away and you are waved on.

Where you'll see it

At works on or near the road, held up by a worker for a short time.

Rules to know

  • Vehicular traffic must not proceed beyond the sign when it is displayed for a short period during works on or near a road. It is a hand-held sign.

    Know Your Traffic Signs, p. 161

  • You must obey traffic signs giving orders, including temporary signs.

    The Highway Code, Rule 109

Common mistakes

  • Mistake: Confusing it with the Stop/Go board.

    Instead: Both mean stop. STOP WORKS is held up for a short stop during works; a Stop/Go board controls one-way traffic through road works.

Test yourself

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Question 1 of 2

What does this sign mean?

Yellow circle with a red border, a black horizontal bar and two capitalised words

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© Crown copyright. Free to reuse under the Open Government Licence v3.0, as long as the sign is reproduced accurately and not in a misleading context.

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Sources

Sign image: Department for Transport, Traffic sign images (diagram 7031). © Crown copyright, reused under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Last reviewed 6 October 2026. This page explains the sign in our own words; for the full rules, see The Highway Code. How we source and check content