Motorway sign ‘never seen before’ is leaving drivers confused but it has a simple explanation

Drivers in the UK are being left confused after 'never before seen' motorway signs cropped up on one motorists journey across the country.

The UK is full of weird and wonderful road signs, with it a requirement to learn pretty much all of them ahead of taking your driving theory test.

Knowing the Highway Code and traffic signs is essential to passing that test, with it virtually impossible to pass without studying in your spare time.

From instructions within a blue circle to warnings within a white triangle with a red border, there is plenty to get your head around.

An easy one to understand even without the 'school' added to the post (Richard Baker / In Pictures via Getty Images)

And then there's the images within a white circle with a red border - it's essential to knowing them all for your test so that when you're in the real world of driving, you are a safe road user.

What you're not taught or required to know for any test, however, is what motorway gantry signs say and tell you as a driver.

These differ significantly from the permanent motorway signs, which are usually blue in colour with a white border, that you learn as part of your theory revision.

And the lack of education on the gantry signs, where temporary warnings are presented by highway officials, has confused people over on Reddit this week.

Posting a picture of one such sign, one Redditor wrote: "Just seen this sign on the M11. What does it mean?

"I've never seen it before."

The message displayed in the black gantry signage simply says 'END' and its got a few people scratching their heads.

As a driver who has also come across this before but there being no warning or information displayed on the previous gantries, it has definitely also left myself also going 'huh?'.

But it is nothing to worry about and is, in fact, more than likely there for several simple reasons—all of which are connected.

Responding, another Reddit user said: "There was some information such as advisory speed due to traffic or caution due to a warning of debris in the road.

"'End' means it's the end of that warning, but you may only come across the end if you've joined in between, or they've forgotten to remove the end after the other ones have been removed."

Joking, they added: "OR the next one will say of, then the, then world, then as, then we, then know, then it."

A generic safety message on a UK motorway gantry (Peter Summers/Getty Images)

Another echoed the first response above, saying: "It's the end of any restriction that has been on previous overhead signs."

And a third suggested: "On smart motorways these might have been a variable speed limit; although that looks as though it could have been a period of roadworks, high winds or fog conditions, congestion, etc."

According to The Highway Code, flashing amber lights indicate a hazard is ahead, at which point you should 'reduce your speed' and 'prepare for the hazard'.

And if you see the illuminated 'END' at the end of the tunnel, then that's a sign that it's all good to 'increase your speed'.

So if you come across the 'end' sign on the motorway, drive easy knowing whatever extra hazards that existed on the road are behind you.