A sign that gives orders
No left turn
A red circle with a left-turn arrow crossed through means no left turn - you must not turn left at that junction.
01
What it means
The red ring makes it a prohibition, applying at the junction where it stands. Left turns get banned to stop traffic cutting through a side street, to protect a bus or cycle route, or where the turn is simply too tight or busy. It's the mirror of the no-right-turn sign, and both are camera-enforceable as moving-traffic contraventions.
02
Where you'll see it
One-way systems, junctions onto bus routes, and side streets a council wants to keep traffic out of.
03
On your driving test
Read it early and don't make the turn. If your route needed it, carry on and re-plan - never make a banned turn under pressure.
Fines and penalties
A banned turn caught on camera is a civil PCN - in London typically £160, halved if paid early; typically £70 outside London. No licence points.
Often confused with
Quick answers
Is this the same as no entry?
No. No entry (a red circle with a white bar) bans going in at all; no left turn only bans the left turn - you can still go ahead or right if those are allowed.
Sign artwork is Crown copyright, reproduced under the Open Government Licence v3.0; meanings from the Highway Code (gov.uk).
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