Road sign

“ A warning sign reading “Single Traffic Road, Passing Places Provided” has proved of much value on single track roads in the Scottish Highlands. In our view there is scope for a sign of this type in other parts of the country, and we recommend the general authorisation of that shown in diagram 23 In lieu of the existing sign. ”

“ At certain junctions where control is not exercised by traffic signals, police, or a Stop sign there will nevertheless be a need for a sign in addition to the new transverse carriageway marking which we advocate in paragraph 224. We therefore recommend for this purpose the sign at figure 8. Since avoidance of accidents will depend upon drivers obeying the sign we believe that it should be given a legal mandatory significance and the meaning of 'proceed so as not to cause inconvenience or danger to traffic on the major road'. ”

“ Although there is no specific requirement to provide the sign, it is helpful to both pedestrians and drivers, particularly where the pedestrian zone has a carriageway and separate footways, as it indicates that normal traffic conditions resume. Where it is clear that a fully paved road has come to an end, and there are very few exceptions to the prohibition of vehicles, it might not be necessary to provide an end sign. Where a sign is provided, the roundel shown in the upper panel will be a grey—coloured version of that shown on the entry sign. ”

“ Diagram 106 shows an existing authorised sign, “No Through Road,” which is at present surmounted by a red triangle. We recommend that the triangle should not be used over this sign as it gives information which does not necessarily imply a warning of possible danger. We recommend also the authorisation of the sign shown in diagram 107, “No Through Road for Motor Vehicles,” to be used in appropriate circumstances, e.g. where there is no through passage for motor vehicles, although the road may be suitable for use by horse-drawn vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians. ”

“ The Functions and Classification of Signs
1.23 Signs are used to control and guide traffic and to promote road safety. They should only be used where they can usefully serve these functions. Warning signs will not, for instance, promote road safety if used widely where there is no unusual degree of danger. On the other hand their omission where guidance, control or danger warrants the use of a sign is not in the best interests of road users. ”

“ The large expanse of white background on a sign this size is very unsightly, and we were particularly concerned about the effect on the eye when it travelled quickly from the image of dark lettering on a light ground to the opposite image of light on dark. We accordingly considered the possibility of employing the white on blue colour scheme for the entire sign and distinguishing between the all-purpose road and motorway directions by using upper case lettering for the one and lower case lettering for the other. ”

“ We consider that in a number of cases insufficient attention has been given to the siting of signs from the point of view of conspicuity. The need to place signs where the road user will have an unobstructed view of them 1s obvious, but it is less generally realised that the character of the background against which the sign is seen has an important bearing on conspicuity. ”

“ Crossing, children, mandatory sign, “Stop, Children Crossing,” p. 33, para. 97; diagram 71. Crossings, level, see “Level crossings.” Crossings, pedestrian, see “Pedestrian crossings.” Cross roads, warning sign, p. 10, para 13; p. 21, para. 37; diagram 1. Curves, horizontal and vertical, white lines at, p. 49, para. 148. “Cyclists and Service Road,” informative sign, p. 44, para. 134; diagram 110. “Cyclists Only,” informative sign, p. 44, para. 133; diagram 109. Cyclists Touring Club, see “Approved organisations.”
D
Danger, use of word on signs, p. ”

“ Diagram 73 shows two sides of a reversible sign which we recommend should be authorised for use for controlling traffic where some temporary restriction of the carriageway width (e.g. because of road repairs) makes it necessary to work alternating one-way traffic. ”

“ Normally it is used either for play streets (where vehicles are admitted only for access) or for shopping streets closed to vehicles and where even ridden pedal cycles would be a hazard to pedestrians. The sign must always be used in combination with a supplementary plate to either diagram 618 or 618.1. The signs are used where the prohibition applies to the whole of the road in both directions; they should not be used to indicate one-way or tidal-flow traffic systems. ”

“ We therefore recommend that warning, mandatory and prohibitory signs should be of the sizes set out in the table at Appendix VI. On narrow-verged country roads carrying slow traffic or at urban sites where space is restricted smaller signs will no doubt have to suffice and could be specially authorised but the standards set should be adhered to as closely as possible.
The size of informatory (other than directional) signs will usually depend upon the nature of the symbol and/or legend which they carry and the category of the road on which the sign is erected. ”

“ We have considered whether the American practice should be adopted of providing a sign to give warning to the main motorway traffic that vehicles may here be merging with it. We consider that provided the mouth of the entry slip road and the boundary of the acceleration lane are sufficiently clearly marked on the carriageway, a sign of this kind should not be necessary. ”

“ A simple sign will frequently change the name of a cross road that has another name for years. In a rocky county a man in an automobile with a can of paint can do much to fixing the names on the map as sent out by the society. ”

“ We recommend that, where the exit slip road joins the all-purpose road at a roundabout, a sign consisting of a large white arrow on a blue ground should be erected on the roundabout to indicate to traffic on the slip road the direction that it is intended to follow round the roundabout. In our interim report we recommended that the standard white arrow on a red ground, illustrated in the Traffic Signs Regulations, 1957, should be used here, and this has in fact been done on the first section of the London-Yorkshire Motorway. ”

“ We are of opinion that by-pass roads should be signposted so as to encourage their use by through traffic. We therefore recommend that in appropriate cases the display of the name of the by-pass, the use of more than one chequer panel on one arrow, and the use of chequer panels to indicate road junctions at distances in excess of one mile, should be specially authorised. A sign of this type is shown in diagram 86. ”

“ Symbols, you say? Why, they're the very stuff of life. If you cannot see life here in the wide road, you will never see it at all.
Well, I saw a sign yesterday at the roadside that I never saw anywhere before. It was not a large sign—indeed rather inconspicuous—consisting of a single word rather crudely painted in black (as by an amateur) upon a white board. It was nailed to a tree where those in swift passing cars could not avoid seeing it:
[ REST ]
I cannot describe the odd sense of enlivenment, of pleasure I had when I saw this new sign. ”

“ When an Order is made prohibiting vehicles in excess of a certain weight from crossing a bridge, the prohibitory signs giving effect to the Order are erected at the bridge. It is frequently desirable to provide in addition an advance sign informing drivers of the restriction, and erected on the route to the bridge at a road junction where an alternative route available to traffic covered by the Order branches off. ”

“ Evidently “the wayfaring men though fools shall not err therein.” Other states are putting up similar signs. Illinois is using about the same size boards setting them for each turn in the road, each entering road, whether or not it comes in from one or both sides, each school and other places where special care should be taken. On a map attached to some of these signs is a point or star indicating the position of the sign on the road. ”

“ Diagram 63. shows a “Turn Left” sign recommended for use where a statutory Order or Regulation requires traffic to turn left at_a junction, although the road entered is not subject to a one-way traffic Order. The over-all dimensions shown differ slightly from those of the existing sign, and, as recommended in paragraph 18, the lettering is black on white instead of white on blue.
Keep Left, One Way Only
92. Diagram 64 shows a sign “Keep Left, One Way Only” recommended for use in appropriate cases where one-way traffic working is imposed by a statutory Order or Regulation. ”

“ The detailed arrangements for marking roundabouts and signal controlled junctions are described in sections 8 and 9 respectively.
4.25 The number of marks recommended in table 4-3 is the minimum on each approach, although this is not always possible on minor roads. The number of marks should be extended wherever justified by road or traffic conditions; the marking can with benefit be extended to start at the location of the accompanying warning sign. Figure 4-5 indicates
a possible combination of signs and markings at a road junction. ”

“ The World turned Upside down is still common, being generally represented by a man walking at the south pole; in that guise it was to be seen some twenty-five years ago on the Greenwich Road. But the meaning of the sign is a state of things the opposite of what is natural and usual,—a conceit in which the artists of former ages took great delight, and which they represented [463] by animals chasing men, horses riding in carriages, and similar pleasantries. ”

“ References in these directions to a sign shown in a diagram in schedule 1 shall include references to a variant of the sign which is specified in Schedule 1 as being a permitted variant.
(4) Nothing in these Directions shall have effect so as to authorise any person not authorised to do so to place on or near a road any object or device for warning traffic of a temporary obstruction. ”

“ We consider that the authorisation permitting the erection of temporary direction signs supplied by the approved motoring and cycling organisations for the temporary diversion of traffic during road repairs, or for the direction of traffic on special occasions such as exhibitions, football matches, race meetings and so on, serves a useful purpose and should be continued. These signs are of a suitable size to incorporate lettering not exceeding 6 in. in height, and may be of the colour or colours adopted by the organisation supplying them, and may bear the badge of that organisation. ”

“ We are conscious, however, of the importance of siting large motorway signs with the interests of the surrounding landscape and of their own visibility very much in mind, and we consider that to help this a tolerance of a hundred yards either way should be allowed in implementing these recommendations. Where reflectorised signs are used great care is needed to ensure that no other street furniture intervenes between them and the direct beams of light from oncoming traffic at night, which would thus cast a shadow over the sign itself. ”

“ In appropriate cases an artificial background should be provided to improve conspicuity. (Paragraph 22.)
(11) Height of Signs—In open country the lower edge of signs should be 3 ft. 6 in. above road level. In towns there should be a clearance of not less than 6 ft. 9 in. over footpaths. (Paragraph 23.)
(12) Illumination of Signs.—By night the conspicuity and legibility of all traffic signs should approach as nearly as possible to daylight standards. Direct external illumination 1s to be preferred. ”

“ We feel, however, that in designing a traffic sign regard must be paid to the space around the lettering as well as to the lettering itself, and that a sign that completely filled the space available would be so unattractive as to be quite unacceptable. ”

“ A square sign bearing the letter “P” in white on a blue ground, to denote a parking place. The sign now used for this purpose in this country is of this form. (See paragraph 103.)
(ii) A rectangular sign bearing an equilateral triangle in light colour on a dark ground, to indicate a need for caution on the part of drivers, e.g. when approaching a school. Explanatory lettering or a symbol may be added. In this country no distinction is made between types of warning signs.
(iii) A sign indicating the position of a first-aid post organised by an officially recognised association. ”

“ In siting traffic signs, consideration should be given to the effect on the conspicuity of the sign of the background against which it will be viewed, and to the possibility, in appropriate cases, of improving conspicuity by the provision of an artificial background.
Height of traffic signs
23. The ideal height of the centre of a traffic sign is at the eye level of the persons most concerned with its message. ”

“ On the first the forward destination should be omitted and the distance to the junction added.
Direction signs at roundabouts should be so located as not to prevent drivers from seeing traffic coming from the right (paragraph 280) .
C. Three-dimensional Aspects of Sign Design Ministers' control Ministers should control more closely the three-dimensional design of signs. Manufacturers should employ experienced designers (paragraph 281) .
Appearance of the backs of signs The back of the sign and its bracing should be neat and unobtrusive (paragraph 282) . ”

“ Warning signs (other than portable temporary signs) , whether authorised for general use or for use at specific sites only, should be surmounted by the standard red triangle.
(b) The red triangle is the recognised symbol giving warning of potential danger, and the word “Danger” should never appear on a traffic sign. ”