Page:Traffic Signs for Motorways (1962).pdf/25



47. There is little reason for building a motorway unless traffic can find its way to it. With this in mind we have designed a distinctive series of signs, intended to be attached to existing direction signs on all-purpose roads, to indicate the route to the motorway from places as much as ten miles or more from it.

48. The signs we propose are illustrated in figures 1-5 of Appendix IV. It will be seen that many of them consist merely of the word ' Motorway ', the motorway route-number and an arrow. In many cases this will be sufficient, but there will be places from which there are two convenient routes to the motorway and where the choice will depend on the direction the driver intends to take when he reaches it. In these cases we recommend that the signs should include the appropriate motorway destination in order to differentiate between the two routes. The broad arrow should be used only in forward-pointing signs which incorporate a place-name.

49. Since the signs will be sited on all-purpose roads, and on the approaches to intersections, where speeds will not normally be high, we consider that lower case lettering having an x-height of four inches will be adequate for the word 'Motorway' and the place-name. We recognise, however, that at some urban sites there may not be room for signs incorporating this size of lettering, and at these places it will be necessary to use a smaller-scale version of the signs. illustrated.

50. These signs are a good example of the use to which a clear and simple motorway symbol could be put. In those illustrated in figures 1-5 it could certainly replace the word ' Motorway', and except in places where there is more than one motorway in the neighbourhood it could replace the motorway routenumber as well. If this were done, however, the whole sign would of course have to be redesigned as its existing balance would have been destroyed.

51. In our interim report we suggested that, in view of the fact that special Regulations apply to the motorway, the advance direction signs on all-purpose roads on the immediate approach to junctions with the motorway should distinguish clearly between the directions relating to the motorway and those relating to the all-purpose road. We rejected the possibilities of giving motorway and all-purpose road directions on separate signs and of combining both in a single sign but identifying the motorway directions by means of the motorway symbol. Instead we recommended a sign which was basically similar to the standard advance direction signs on all-purpose roads in that it employed black lettering on a white ground for the all-purpose road directions but in which all the names were in lower case lettering having an x-height of four inches and the motorway directions were given in white lettering on a blue panel.

52. Having seen this sign in place at Preston, however, we felt that the attempt to combine on the same sign the black on white colour scheme of all-purpose roads with the white on blue colour scheme of motorways was not a success.