Page:Report of the Traffic Signs Committee (1963).pdf/38

 Following the recommendations of the 1944 Traffic Signs Committee this system was modified by reducing the size of route numbers to 13 times the height of the letters of place names ; by the addition to advance direction signs of map type symbols to indicate roundabouts, dual-carriageways and fly-overs; by introducing three colour distinctions-a yellow background for advance direction signs on through routes in urban areas, a blue surround for local destination signs in urban areas and a black surround for them in the country. It also provided for the use of stack type signs where insufficient space was available for the map type.

133. With the coming of motorways a new conception in directional signing was introduced. In accordance with the recommendations of the Anderson Committee lower-case lettering was used, panels were discarded and place names were set above route numbers. The adoption of a dark background enabled the white legend to be reflectorised and much larger signs to be used without detriment to amenity. The signs carried letters considerably larger than those hitherto permitted on all-purpose roads.

Later, when new by-passes were built to near-motorway standards, directional signs in motorway style but with green backgrounds and slightly smaller letter heights were erected on these roads by the Ministry of Transport. The green background was adopted, after experiments with other colours and other shades of green:—

(a) to distinguish these all-purpose roads from motorways. This was important owing to the types of traffic which are excluded by law from using motor ways and the special rules of driving conduct which apply on them;

(b) because by day green was thought to harmonise normally with the rural environment; and

(c) because a dark background had the considerable economic advantage that only the legend needs to be reflectorised.

134. The requirements of the 1949 Protocol in regard to advance direction signs and direction signs are, broadly, that the signs should be rectangular in shape (the direction signs being pointed at one end) and that a light legend on a dark ground, or vice versa, be used. Otherwise, the Protocol imposes no restrictions upon choice of colour, lettering or design.

135. The advance direction signs now used on most all-purpose roads in the United Kingdom are currently criticised mainly because the place names are too small to be read at the speeds of modern traffic and also because they tend to be sited too near to the junction referred to and to be mounted in some cases unnecessarily high. Direction signs at junctions are also thought in many cases to be too small and too high. The main comment on route confirmatory signs is that not sufficient are provided. Lack of continuity of place names and inadequate information about mileages are further common complaints.

We find ourselves very much in agreement with these views. For example, we accept the findings of the Road Research Laboratory that the use of panels on advance direction signs has resulted in excessive compression of the legend