Priorities at a roundabout with traffic lights (UK)?

Question

Imagine a very large roundabout with traffic lights. 
A car entering the roundabout is past the stop line for the traffic lights but behind the dashed line for the roundabout when the lights turn red for that road and green for traffic already on the roundabout and coming from the right, allowing them to exit the roundabout system.
The entering vehicle is around halfway up the line of waiting cars already on the roundabout.
Do the cars on the roundabout give way or does the car entering give way - ie do the traffic light indications take priority or should roundabout priorities take precedence?

? · Accepted Answer

if past traffic lights then they become irrelevant, roundabout and normal road traffic  rule then applies. eg  if about to enter  ? give way to any traffic coming  from right.
   if halfway round ? we can signal for our exit and continue journey.
 anybody getting a green light to enter roundabout . MUST still give way to any vehicle coming from right.
  note however nearly 95% of drivers read  roundabout rule incorrectly and assume if they are  approaching roundabout and any  traffic is on left .. ( about to enter) they  drive straight into roundabout. this is very often the case on mini roundabouts eg T junction type where drivers assume ( wrongly) main road  going across has right of way.
  rule actually is: give way to any vehicle IN roundabout approaching from right.
   so if a car had moved across give way line on left before you entered roundabout? ( from right) the car already in roundabout has right of passage and  car  coming form right has to  slow  ( give way)
 this is  why they paint white give way lines and entry and exit lines at roundabouts. sadly few ( even instructors) can  fully tell you  correct vehicular  entry etc.

david h · Answer

I dis agree with Hornchurch.

This situation often occurs at rush hour With high volumes of Traffic.
If the lights are on red , this means stop , when on green it means you have priority to go ,IF IT IS SAFE TO DO SO , but if your lane is blocked with Traffic you may only have room to proceed a few feet. This is still allowed.
The lights then change to red again.
As you have crossed the stop line you are allowed to continue - any Traffic currently on the roundabout that had a red light which has now changed to a green light still need to give way to you.
However you should not enter a part of the roundabout that is also an exit lane , if your path is blocked with traffic so you will clog up the exit lane for traffic say on the inner lanes of the roundabout trying to cross your lane and exit the roundabout.
Roundabouts can have various lane markings and the white lines should serve as guidance that MUST be observed.

? · Answer

Uk Roundabout Rules

Trevor h · Answer

There is something fishy here....
If a roundabout is controlled by traffic lights there shouldn't be any dashed markings - only the stop lines for the lights! You can't have 2 methods of control, unless the traffic lights are part-time or the dashed lines are to cover for a traffic light failure.

Anonymous · Answer

traffic lights have priority,however traffic lights are faulty if one car has the green light and another car is already moving on a green light,or one of the two drivers has jumped a red light

al-andalus · Answer

Basically it is the same as any other light controlled junction - if your exit is not clear, wait until you have a clear road and a green light.

Priorities at a roundabout with traffic lights (UK)?

6 Answers