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Road Signs Although we use the roads on a daily basis with the vast amount of signage that we are faced with a lot of motorists still are not always sure what they all mean a visit to Road Markings will clear up all your doubts to the white lines on the roads another nightmare for drivers not used to driving in cities is the Bus and Cycle signs with new road signs that can appear overnight the no wonder the average motorist sometimes falls foul of the law this section should help you to recognize the common road signs and clarify some of the rarer road signs Why know your traffic signs? Traffic signs play a vital role in directing, informing and controllingroad users' behaviour in an effort to make the roads as safe aspossible for everyone. This makes a knowledge of traffic signsessential. Not just for new drivers or riders needing to pass theirtheory test, but for all road users, including experiencedprofessional drivers. Responsibility for traffic signs Responsibility for the road network in the UK is split among: • the Highways Agency in England • the Welsh Assembly Government in Wales • the Scottish Executive in Scotland • and local or regional highway authorities. The central administrations above are responsible for the UK’sstrategic road network. Strategic roads are the highways that linkcities, areas of population, ports and airports. Most motorways andsome “A” roads are strategic roads. Local or regional highway authorities are responsible for localroads, and this includes a few motorways, all other “A” roads andall other public roads. While responsibility for placing, erecting andmaintaining traffic signs is split among these bodies, it is importantthat signs are consistent both in appearance and in the way theyare used. To ensure that the UK has a uniform traffic signing system, signsmust conform to the designs prescribed in the Traffic SignsRegulations and General Directions (although some signs mayhave been specially authorised by the Secretary of State). The Traffic Signs Manual, published by TSO, provides detailedguidance for those responsible for designing and installing traffic signs. |