Page:Report of the Departmental Committee on Traffic Signs (1946).djvu/36

 No Entry

78. Diagram 47 shows the existing standard sign prohibiting entry to a one-way street. In our view, this sign is not sufficiently conspicuous and arresting, as is evidenced by the frequency with which drivers quite unwit- tingly fail to observe it. We therefore recommend that it should be replaced by the sign shown in diagram 48, the larger form of the sign being used wherever practicable. We do not consider it necessary that the vehicle driver should be.informed of the reason for the prohibition of entry, and the new sign, in addition to being more arresting, has the advantage that it will also supersede a number of “No Entry ” signs of varied design previously authorised where the sign “No Entry, One-way Street” was not appropriate.

We consider that the importance of the “No Entry” sign justifies us in recommending that at a junction where entry to a road is prohibited the sign should be erected on each side of the road to which it refers, unless in exceptional circumstances the Minister agrees to the omission of the second sign. This duplication seems to us to be particularly desirable because the “No Entry” sign is most frequently used in busy urban areas.

Diagram 49 shows a “No Entry” sign which has been authorised for use on advance direction signs relating to junctions at which.entry to a particular road is prohibited. It bears the words “No Entry” in white letters on a red panel in place of the usual panel bearing a route number and/or place name. We recommend its continued use in appropriate cases.

No Right Turn

79. We recommend the sign “No Right Turn” (or “No Left Turn”) shown in diagram 50. In conformity with the recommendation made in paragraph 18 the lettering is black on a white ground instead of white on red as in the existing sign.

Prohibition of use of highways

80. Diagram 51 shows an existing sign prohibiting the use of a length of road by vehicles in excess of a specified weight. We recommend retention of the general form (red disc over a rectangular plate on which the nature of the prohibition is shown) but we consider it desirable that on new signs of this type and on replacements of existing signs there should be introduced such simplification of the wording as is possible without impairing the effectiveness of the sign, and as will at the same time give increased legibility. The following suggestions (to which, we understand, there is no legal objection), indicate the kind of simplification and re-arrangement we have in mind:

(a) The citation of the enactments under which the Order or Regulation has been made need not appear on the sign.

(b) The wording “All vehicles of a total laden or unladen weight exceeding tons prohibited” could be replaced by “Maximum weight tons” or “Weight limit tons.” :

(c) The words “Gross weight” might in appropriate cases be used in place of “Laden or unladen weight.”

(d) Where the Order or Regulation makes provision for exceptions in the cases of specified vehicles, the sign should detail these exceptions, but the statement should be made as simple and concise as possible.

Diagram 52 illustrates the application of our recommendations to the sign shown in diagram 51.

There was brought to our notice a sign worded “Heavy vehicles please do not use this road” which had been authorised on one occasion only. We