What does a red X above a motorway lane mean in Northern Ireland?

A red X above a motorway lane means that lane is closed and you must not continue in it.

The Northern Ireland Highway Code motorway signals treat a red cross as a lane-closure signal, not merely advice. It may protect an incident, obstruction or workforce ahead.

For “What does a red X above a motorway lane mean in Northern Ireland?”, the wider Northern Ireland context is this: Northern Ireland's Highway Code uses signs, signals and road markings together, so the safest reading is always the exact sign at the location plus any lane arrows, plates or temporary traffic management. Rules expressed as ‘must’ or ‘must not’ are legal requirements; advisory wording can still be used as evidence when responsibility for a collision is considered.

For this exact question — “What does a red X above a motorway lane mean in Northern Ireland?” — the practical point is: Move safely into an open lane as soon as you can and do not re-enter the closed lane until a signal shows it is available. The answer should be applied to the actual signs, conditions, licence wording or parking rules in force at the time, because temporary restrictions and individual DVA decisions can change the ordinary position.

This Northern Ireland-specific page on “What does a red X above a motorway lane mean in Northern Ireland?” was checked against the attached official sources before publication, with nidirect/DVA and the Northern Ireland Highway Code used ahead of generic UK motoring articles. If the rule, road layout or personal licence condition changes, those primary sources are the ones to re-check.