Topographical test map symbols: questions and answers
22 practice questions for the TfL topographical assessment, with answers and explanations at the end.
Free from taxiknowledgetest.co.uk. Not an official council or TfL document: check the current official guidance.
Questions
Road colours and classes
On most UK road maps, what colour are primary routes?
On most UK road maps, what colour is an ordinary A road that is not a primary route?
What is the background colour of a direction sign on a primary route?
What does a direction sign on a non-primary route look like?
What do most motorway signs look like?
What colour is the background of a sign to a tourist destination?
What kind of number does a primary route always have?
A direction sign shows a motorway number in brackets on a blue panel, with no motorway symbol. What does it show?
Which roads are usually called major roads?
What are classified unnumbered roads sometimes called, unofficially?
Which class of road makes up most of the roads in the UK?
Signs described in words
What do circular road signs mostly do?
What do triangular road signs mostly do?
A sign is a red ring around a symbol. What does it usually tell you?
A sign is a blue circle with a white symbol. What does it usually give?
A round sign has a red ring and a red bar across a black arrow. What does the bar show?
A round sign has a red ring. Inside, a black arrow bends to the right, with a red bar across it. What does it mean?
A round sign has a red ring. Inside, a black U-shaped arrow has a red bar across it. What does it mean?
A round red sign has one thick white bar across the middle. What does it mean?
A round sign has a red ring and is plain white inside, with no symbol. What does it mean?
A blue round sign has three white arrows in a circle. What does it show?
A tall blue rectangular sign has one white arrow pointing up. What does it mean?
Answers
- A. Green. Green is the usual colour for primary routes on a road map.
- B. Red. The Department for Transport says ordinary A roads are usually red on road maps, and primary routes are green.
- C. Green. A primary route sign is green, with yellow road numbers and white words.
- D. White background, black letters. Direction signs on non-primary routes have a white background with black route numbers and lettering.
- B. Blue background, white letters. Motorway signs are mostly blue, with white words, numbers and edges.
- D. Brown. Signs to tourist places have a brown background.
- A. An A number. Primary routes are roads of national and regional importance, and they always have A numbers.
- C. The way to reach the motorway. The route from the junction ahead leads to the motorway. It is not the motorway itself.
- B. Motorways and A roads. Major roads usually means A roads and motorways, but there is no fixed definition.
- C. C roads. Some people call them C roads, but this is not an official name.
- D. Unclassified roads. About 60% of UK roads are unclassified. These are local roads for local traffic.
- A. Give orders. As a general rule, circles give orders, triangles warn and rectangles inform.
- D. Give warnings. As a general rule, triangles warn. Circles give orders and rectangles inform.
- A. What you must not do. A red ring or circle means something is banned.
- B. An instruction you must follow. A blue circle usually tells you what you must do, for example turn left. It can also mark a route only for some vehicles.
- C. That change of direction is banned. A red bar across the sign, as well as the red circle, is used where a change of direction is not allowed.
- B. No right turn. The arrow bending right with the red bar means no right turn.
- D. No U-turn. The U-shaped arrow with the red bar means no U-turn.
- A. No entry for vehicles. This is the sign for no entry for vehicular traffic.
- C. No vehicles. A plain red ring with nothing inside means no vehicles. Pedal cycles pushed by hand are an exception.
- D. A mini-roundabout. This is the mini-roundabout sign. You give way to traffic from the immediate right.
- C. One-way traffic. This blue rectangle with a white arrow shows one-way traffic.
Sources
- Topographical assessment guidelines, Transport for London, No date printed; PDF file dated 29 April 2026. Checked 1 November 2026. https://content.tfl.gov.uk/topographical-assessment-guidelines.pdf
- Know Your Traffic Signs, Department for Transport, 2023 edition. Checked 1 November 2026. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/656ef4271104cf0013fa74ef/know-your-traffic-signs-dft.pdf
- Guidance on road classification and the primary route network, Department for Transport, published 13 March 2012. Checked 1 November 2026. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-road-classification-and-the-primary-route-network/guidance-on-road-classification-and-the-primary-route-network