Page:Report of the Traffic Signs Committee (1963).pdf/70



257. Traffic signs should be as effective after dark as in daylight. This can only be achieved by adequate illumination or efficient reflectorisation.

258. The 1957 Traffic Signs Regulations give highway authorities wide discretion regarding the illumination and reflectorisation of traffic signs. Apart from a few exceptions it is permissible, but not obligatory, for any sign in the First Schedule to be either illuminated or reflectorised. The exceptions include Halt and Slow signs (which must be either externally lighted or reflectorised) and Turn left and No right turn signs, and their counterparts, attached to traffic signals (which must be internally illuminated at all times). Where any warning, mandatory or prohibitory sign is illuminated (except by internal lighting) the surmounting symbol is required to be either externally illuminated (by the same means as the sign if it is so lighted) or reflectorised. Illumination of legends by reflecting lenses or reflective sheetings is permissible for any sign in the First Schedule provided its letters are 3 inches or more in height. No specific requirements are prescribed for the illumination of directional signs. As a result many in urban areas rely for their illumination on street lighting, which is often quite inadequate. In rural areas they are often not illuminated or reflectorised at all.

The Traffic Signs (Speed Limits) Regulations and General Directions 1962 require terminal speed limit and derestriction signs on a trunk or classified road, when erected within 150 yards of a street lamp, to be externally illuminated. But exceptions to this requirement are admitted where the signs are illuminated by street lighting or are fitted with reflectors or reflecting material. Where the signs are located on an unclassified road or more than 150 yards from a street lamp on a trunk or classified road, they must be either illuminated by external lighting or reflectorised. But again these requirements are not enforced if the Minister is satisfied that the signs are illuminated adequately by street lighting. In practice many terminal speed limit signs are lit only by street lamps.

259. In our opinion the present statutory requirements for the lighting of traffic signs are too lax ; they do not require any illumination or reflectorisation to be provided for certain important signs such as directional signs, and they permit quite inadequate illumination of others. We recommend that the Regulations be amended to require a considerably higher standard. In particular all warning, mandatory and prohibitory signs, other than waiting restriction signs but including all speed limit signs (other than repeaters) and all advance direction signs should be illuminated by direct lighting wherever there is a system of street lighting. In places where street lighting is switched off or reduced for part of the night the lighting of these signs should be maintained throughout the hours of darkness. Where there is no street lighting it should be permissible for these signs either to have direct lighting or to be reflectorised. The symbolic Turn left and No right turn signs which we have recommended for attachment to traffic signals should be internally illuminated at all times wherever they are, as are the present signs.

At all important junctions on Primary routes there should be direct lighting of directional, mandatory and prohibitory signs. We appreciate that at present