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14
- Direction signs on all-purposeroads
Roads other than motorways are referred to asall-purpose roads. Those
of national andregional importance are called primary routes:they
always have "A" numbers. Direction signson these roads have green
backgrounds,yellow route numbers and white lettering.Primary routes,
together with motorways, forma national network of roads between major
towns (primary destinations).
All other roads, including local roads with "A"numbers, are called
non-primary routes.Direction signs on these roads have whitebackgrounds,
with black route numbers andlettering. Most road maps show primary
routesin green and use other colours to distinguishbetween non-primary
"A" roads, "B" roads andlocal un-numbered roads. Maps may alsoindicate
primary destinations. The colourcoding of these maps and the colours
of thetraffic signs may help you to plan your journey,using primary
routes wherever possible.
Where a primary route has a junction with a non-primary route, acoloured
panel on the advance direction sign is used to indicatea route of
different status. Blue panels are used to indicatemotorways , green
panels indicate primary routesand white non-primary routes.
There are different types of sign that might be used on theapproach
to a junction. A "map-type" sign shows the junctionlayout and is commonly
used for roundabouts, with a specialsymbol for mini-roundabouts. The
width of each route symboldepends on the type of the road indicated:
wide for primaryroutes and motorways, medium for "A" and "B" numberednon-primary
routes and narrow for local roads without numbers.
A stack-type sign shows directions at a junction ahead, but notthe
road layout. It can often be smaller than the equivalentmap-type sign
and is used for simple junctions (e.g. a crossroads)and where there
might not be space for a larger sign, especially inurban areas.
Examples of stack-type signs. Arrows indicate the direction of exits
from the junction ahead; each is shown on a separate part of the sign.
The ahead direction may not be shown for a junction with a minor side
road
A sign that indicates theappropriate lanes to use forturning movements
at a junctionahead is sometimes used inconjunction with, or instead
of, amap-type or stack-type sign.
Route numbers in brackets are roadsthat will be reached by following
theroute indicated. Where a primary routeis reached by following a
non-primaryroute, its route number in brackets isshown on a small
green patch. However,non-primary routes reached alongprimary routes
are not indicated on whitepatches. "B1234" in the example is a non-primary
route. Signsindicating a route to a motorway include a blue patch
with themotorway number in brackets.
Signs located at a junction and pointingalong a road have chevrons
rather thanarrows. They are called "flag-type" signs.Some signs may
be rectangular withupward-pointing arrows. These are usedwhere the
road divides, such as at anexit slip road or a forked junction. Thebackground
colour of a flag-type sign isthat appropriate for the route indicated;coloured
panels are not used where aprimary route has a junction with anon-primary
route. However, flag-typesigns may include route numberpatches. A
rectangular sign at thejunction may have coloured panels, butonly
if it indicates more than one route.
Some junctions on dual carriageway roads may be similar tothose on
motorways, where a slip road leaves the maincarriageway via a deceleration
lane or a lane drop. The firstdirection sign on the approach to the
junction is usually located1/2 mile in advance, although there may
be an additional sign1 mile before the junction. In some cases, these
distances maybe reduced, normally to 1/3 mile and 2/3mile respectively.
Anothersign will be located where the deceleration lane starts or
justbefore the left-hand lane leaves the main carriageway as a lanedrop.
The signs may be mounted at the side of the road oroverhead.
| Where
the junction ahead is between two primary routes, anynon-primary
route atthe same junction isnot shown on a white panel. Signs
on theexit slip road will have green backgrounds |
The
junction ahead is with a non-primary route only, with the destination
shown in a white panel. The signs on the exit slip road will
have white backgrounds |
This
sign is located at the start of the deceleration lane. In addition
to the side destination, the sign shows the ahead destinations |
Overhead signs for junctions with deceleration lanes and slip roads,
where the number of lanes through the junction remainsthe same
Signs for a junction where a lane leaves the main carriageway to become
the exit slip road. Primary route signs have green backgrounds. Non-primary
route signs have white backgrounds
Signs
for tourist destinations
 Symbols
are often used to indicate the type of destination. Thesemay be shown
on road maps. Once the full name of a touristdestination and its symbol
have been shownon a sign, subsequent signs may show onlythe associated
symbol. Examples of symbolsare shown below.
Services
signs
Blue-background
signs indicating motorwayservice areas located on all-purpose roads.
Services groupedtogether at a single location on primary and non-primary
routesmay be signed where parking, toilets, fuel and refreshments
areavailable at least between 8 am and 8 pm on every day exceptChristmas
Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. Signs onnon-primary routes have
white backgrounds. Older signs onprimary routes have green backgrounds,
but are being replacedby white-background.
The services may have a geographical name. The "LPG" symbol means
LPG fuel is available, the spoon and fork symbol denotes a restaurant
and the bed symbol indicates overnight accommodation. The lorry symbol
indicates that the services are for goods vehicles only. Where the
symbol has a red bar, services are not available for goods vehicles
Alternative
signs indicating the entrance to services. May be used to indicate
the direction to services at a road junction
Where individual facilities are available in a small town or villageoff
the main route, signs at the junction indicate the direction inwhich
they are located. If tourist facilities are available, the signshave
a brown background
Brown
signs may indicate establishments that provide restaurantfacilities,
light refreshments or overnight accommodation.
Licensed
camping and caravan sites, youth hostels managed bythe Youth Hostels
Association or Scottish Youth HostelsAssociation, picnic areas, viewpoints
and parking places withtourist information may also be indicated by
brown signs.
Parking
signs
| Direction
signs indicating parkingplaces, such as off-street car parks,have
white backgrounds, even onprimary routes. Where the parkingdestination
is incorporated into aprimary route sign with a greenbackground,
it is shown on a white panel |
|
The
signs may include various details about the parking places.
Signs may indicate the location ofparking places associated with"Park
and Ride" schemes. Where appropriate, the bus symbol ischanged to
another form oftransport, e.g. tram, nationalrailway or London Underground.The
sign may include the name ofthe Park and Ride site or the placethat
it serves. It may also includethe times of operation. Otherdirection
signs may incorporatethe blue "Park and Ride" panel.
Signs
for drivers of goods vehicles
Routes
recommended for goodsvehicles have black signs with awhite lorry
symbol. Other directionsigns may incorporate black lorryroute panels.
The most suitableroute for lorries to a particulardestination may
be different fromthat for other vehicles. The lorrysymbol faces
in the direction inwhich vehicles turn at a junction. For ahead
destinations, thesymbol generally faces left. Where route numbers
for motorwaysand primary routes are shown, these are placed on blue
andgreen patches respectively.
Signs
for traffic diversions
Where,
in an emergency, it is necessaryto close a section of motorway or
othermain road to traffic, a temporary signmay advise drivers to
follow a diversionroute. To help drivers navigate the route,black
symbols on yellow patches maybe permanently displayed on existingdirection
signs, including motorway signs. On all-purpose roads,the symbols
may be used on separate signs with yellow backgrounds.
Temporary diversion signs may be required when a road is closedfor
reasons other than an emergency, e.g. to carry out works.
Examples
of other direction signs
Signs that indicate the appropriate traffic lanes for turning movementsat
a junction ahead may be used alone or in addition to map-type orstack-type
advance direction signs. Signs on primary routes have green backgrounds,
and signs on non-primary routes have white backgrounds
These
signs show how traffic lanes on a slip road join the main carriageway
of a dual carriageway road at junctions. Signs on primary routes
have green backgrounds, and signs on non-primary route have white
backgrounds
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