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DVSA revision material with source-checked Lanekind learning corrections. Lanekind is not a DVSA product and is not endorsed by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency. The Highway Code is Crown copyright, reproduced under the Open Government Licence.

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LanekindThe Highway CodeMotorwaysRule 270

Motorways · Stopping

Rule 270: Emergency areas are located along motorways with no hard shoulder or…

Emergency areas are located along motorways with no hard shoulder or where the hard shoulder can be used as an extra lane (see Rule 269) and MUST only be used in an emergency.

They are marked by blue signs with an orange SOS telephone symbol and may have orange surfacing.

Rule 270: emergency area

Rule 270: sign indicating distance to next emergency area

Follow the requirements and advice in

Rule 277 if your vehicle develops a problem on the motorway
Rule 278 to rejoin the carriageway from an emergency area.

Laws MT(E&W)R reg 9 as amended by MT(E&W)(A)(E)R, & MT(S)R reg 8

Source note (app): Rule 270 refreshed from the Department for Transport’s GOV.UK Highway Code, checked 2026-09-06. This corrects the imported passage only; the rest of the archive has not been refreshed. © Crown copyright. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Licence details: The National Archives, Open Government Licence v3.0. No government endorsement is implied.

In the Highway Code, MUST and MUST NOT identify legal requirements. Advice using should, should not, do or do not can still be used as evidence in court proceedings under the Traffic Acts to establish liability. The introduction explains this distinction.

The rules either side

The Code reads in order, and each of these names the rule it goes to rather than saying only ‘next’.

Rule 269: Hard shoulder (where present)The rule before this one Rule 271: You MUST NOT stop on any carriagewayThe rule after this one

Stopping

3 rules

The rules the Code files beside this one, in its order.

Rule 270: Emergency areas are located along motorways with no hard shoulder or…where the hard shoulder can be used as an extra lane (see Rule 269) and MUST only be used in an emergency.Rule 271: You MUST NOT stop on any carriagewayemergency area, hard shoulder, slip road, central reservation or verge except in an emergency, or when told to do so by…Rule 272: You MUST NOT pick up or set down anyone, or walk on a motorway, except in an emergencyLaws RTRA sect 17 & MT(E&W)R reg 15 Source note (app): Rule 272 refreshed from the Department for Transport’s GOV.UK…

Motorways

Rules 253 to 274

The other groups in this part of the Code, and the rest of it.

General2 rules Motorway signals4 rules Joining the motorway (rule 259)1 rule On the motorway4 rules Lane discipline3 rules Overtaking2 rules Hard shoulder (rule 269)1 rule Stopping3 rules Leaving the motorway2 rules

All of MotorwaysRules 253 to 274 on one page Road signs and markingsEvery sign this rule refers to, each one on a page you can link to.