Page:UK Traffic Signs Manual - Chapter 3 Regulatory Signs. 2008 (Second Impression 2008).pdf/144



The general principles for signing and marking tramways, including the use of variants to diagram 976 (see para 14.49), are set out in HM Railway Inspectorate’s "Railway Safety Publication 2, Guidance on Tramways” published on the Office of Rail Regulation website. Early contact should be made with the Inspectorate to discuss requirements. The following paragraphs give more detailed guidance on the use of traffic signs for street—running tramways.

At a priority junction, where trams share the major road with other traffic, STOP or GIVE WAY signs for the minor road should be provided in accordance with section 3. Warning signs for tramway crossings are covered in section 21 of Chapter 4. Details of road markings for tramways can be found in section 18 of Chapter 5. Para 14.49 in this chapter deals with speed limit signs for trams.

Where an on-street tramway enters a tram gate (or tram-only road), a segregated on-street tram route or an off—street tram route, signs to diagram 953.1 in combination with the "Only" plate to diagram 953.2 are provided. A "no entry" sign to diagram 616 cannot be used instead of diagram 953.1, as there is no prescribed supplementary plate with the legend "Except trams".

A tram gate is similar to a bus-only street or bus gate described in paras 15.29 to 15.32. Buses may share a tram gate, in which case the sign to diagram 953.1 is varied to include the bus symbol (normally the local bus symbol) as shown on working drawing P 953.1 (see para 1.9). The sign must not be varied to include the cycle symbol or the legend "taxi". Although cycles and taxis may be permitted to use a bus gate, there are safety issues with a tram gate.

The sign to diagram 953.1 should normally be 750 mm in diameter with the supplementary plate having an x-height of 75 mm. The largest sign size of 900 mm is likely to be more appropriate where a tramway leaves the public highway to enter an off—street route or at other locations where greater emphasis is required to ensure that drivers follow the correct route through a complex junction. The smaller sizes might be appropriate where traffic speeds are low and where access to traffic is generally restricted (e.g. where a tramway crosses a pedestrian zone).

A segregated on-street tram route is similar to a bus lane except that physical separation is provided between the tramway and that part of the road used by other traffic. No other traffic should be allowed to use the tramway, although it may be crossed by pedestrians. Figure 16-1 shows an example of each end of a one-way road used by all traffic, including trams, with a contra—flow segregated tramway. Figure 16-2 shows an example of a tramway leaving the public highway to enter an off—street route.

In certain situations it might be appropriate to provide a "keep left" or "keep right" sign to diagram 610 to guide other traffic away from a route used exclusively by trams, whether on-street or off—street. Regulation 15(3) exempts trams from the requirement to comply with such a sign.

An advance direction sign may indicate a route for trams only, as shown in figures 16-1 and 16-2.

There are no prescribed signs for a bus lane that is used also by trams. Where such provision is required, an application for sign authorisation should be submitted to the Department (see para 2.1).