Page:Report of the Traffic Signs Committee (1963).pdf/53

 confines itself to the signing of road works and does not refer to accidents or other emergencies. This Code specifies the use of 16 signs prescribed at ''Regs. 159 to 165, 219 and 220.'' The other Code deals with motorways. This covers fog, ice and accident, as well as road works, and requires the use of quite different signs. Some of these are Protocol signs but others use words although Protocol symbolic equivalents exist.

It seems to be unnecessary, and indeed undesirable, that there should be any basic difference in design between signs used to mark obstructions on fast roads and those used on slower roads. In the interests of immediate recognition by drivers there should be uniformity in the kinds of signs used. The differences should be only in size, siting and frequency of signs, and these will depend primarily upon different vehicle speeds of roads but also to some extent upon what proportion of the carriageway is obstructed. We thus see no need for two Traffic Safety Codes, and recommend that a single Code should be issued by Departments covering roads of all vehicle speeds.

194. Adequate Protocol signs are available and we think they should be used. In particular when a reduced speed is required we suggest that a speed restriction sign, stating the safe speed for the particular road, would be more explicit and helpful than Slow. The use of speed restriction signs for this purpose is common practice abroad though they have not yet been so used in this country. We also advocate that on high speed roads signs should show how far ahead the obstruction is and how much of the carriageway, and what part of it, is obstructed. The latter could be done by an indicator using hinged flaps.

By way of illustration we suggest the following sequence of signs to mark an obstruction by road works on the fastest type of road:—

(i) Road works sign (figure 134) ;

(ii) Road works sign, with a plate (figure 72) giving the distance to the obstruction;

(iii) a flap-operated sign showing the width of the obstruction and its position in the carriageway;

(iv) a combination of:

(a) a temporary Speed limit sign (figure 27) indicating whatever speed is thought appropriate, and

(b) a No overtaking sign (figure 24)—if one lane only is open, or a Road narrows sign (figure 41)—if two or more lanes are open;

(v) traffic cones deflecting traffic away from the obstruction and ending with a white on blue mandatory arrow (figure 14) at the point of the greatest encroachment (paragraph 214);

(vi) reflectorised barriers having alternate red and white stripes to mark the limits of the obstruction; and

(vii) a Road clear sign (figure 141) after the obstruction.

This number and sequence of signs would have to be adjusted in accordance with the type of road and its vehicle speeds.

The details and legal implications of a combined Code would have to be worked out by Departments and we have confined ourselves to offering this outline of principles which are somewhat different from those now being applied in either of the existing Codes.

195. In addition to the signs already mentioned we see need for drivers to be warned of loose chippings, wet tar, a temporary road surface, or a ramp, or