Traffic Signs (Size, Colour and Type) Regulations, 1950

JurisdictionUK Non-devolved
CitationSI 1950/953
Year1950

1950 No. 953

The Traffic Signs (Size, Colour and Type) Regulations, 1950

13thJune 1950

13thJune 1950

14thJune 1950

The Minister of Transport (hereinafter referred to as "the Minister") in exercise of the powers conferred upon him by section 59 of the Road Traffic Act, 1930(a), and of all other powers him enabling, hereby makes the following Regulations:—

Commencement, Citation, Revocation and Interpretation

1.—(1) These Regulations shall come into operation on the fourteenth day of June, 1950, and may be cited as "The Traffic Signs (Size, Colour and Type) Regulations, 1950".

(2) The Traffic Signs (Size, Colour and Type) Provisional Regulations, 1933, are hereby revoked.

(3) The Interpretation Act, 1889(b), shall apply to the interpretation of these Regulations as it applies to the interpretation of an Act of Parliament.

Signs shown in Parts I to III First Schedule

2. Subject to the provisions of these Regulations, and except where the Minister authorises the erection or retention of a sign of another character, every traffic sign placed on or near a road for any of the purposes specified in Part I, Part II or Part III of the First Schedule to these Regulations (hereinafter referred to as "the First Schedule") shall be of the size, colour and type shown in any of the diagrams relating to that purpose set out in that Part of the said Schedule.

3. Where the circumstances so require the following indications given on the signs shown in Part I, Part II or Part III of the First Schedule shall be varied as follows:—

(a) in diagrams Nos. 13, 14 (a), 14 (b), 20, 69 and 70 the numerals shall be varied to accord with the circumstances;

(b) in diagram No. 71 the wording shall be varied to accord with the restrictions or prohibitions on waiting;

(c) in diagrams Nos. 14 (b), 22, 55, 63 and 76 the direction of the arrows shall be reversed to accord with the circumstances;

(d) in diagrams Nos. 14 (a) and 14 (b) the word "mile" or "miles" shall be substituted for "yds" to accord with the circumstances;

(e) in diagrams Nos. 68 and 77 the word "left" shall be substituted for the word "right" to accord with the circumstances;

(f) in diagram No. 76 the word "right" shall be substituted for the word "left" to accord with the circumstances.

(a) 20 & 21 Geo. 5. c. 43.

(b) 52 & 53 Vict. c. 63.

4. In any sign of the type shown in diagrams Nos. 23 to 46 inclusive in the First Schedule the route symbols, place names, number of panels, direction of arrows and overall dimensions shall be varied to suit the location where the sign is erected.

5. In any of the signs shown in diagrams Nos. 25 to 35 inclusive and 37 in the First Schedule, the letters and numerals in the route symbols may be increased from 4 inches to 4½ inches in height, and the letters in the place names may be increased from 2 inches to 3 inches in height. In these signs and in those shown in diagrams Nos. 36, 38, 39, 41, 42, 43 and 45 in the said Schedule, the overall and route symbol panel dimensions indicated in the diagrams relate to cases where the minimum size of letters and numerals is used and may be increased to suit the permitted larger letters and numerals when these are used.

6. Where it is considered necessary, place names may be added to signs of the types shown in diagrams Nos. 41, 42 and 43 in the First Schedule.

7. Where detail dimensions are not indicated in any diagram in the First Schedule those indicated in the first diagram of that type shall apply.

8. The signs shown in diagrams Nos. 1 to 19 inclusive in the First Schedule shall be surmounted at a height of six inches by an equilateral hollow triangle of the size, colour and type shown in diagram 1:

Provided that in the case of a sign in which reflecting lenses are incorporated the sign shall be surmounted at a height of six inches by an equilateral hollow triangle of the size, colour and type shown in diagram 1A.

9. Letters and numerals incorporated in the signs shown in Part I, Part II or Part III of the First Schedule shall have the proportions specified in the Sixth Schedule to these Regulations and the form shown in either of the diagrams Nos. 1 and 2 included in that Schedule, except that in the case of the signs shown in diagrams Nos. 76 and 77 and their permitted variants, the letters shall be compressed laterally to suit the width of these signs.

10. Where a direction sign indicates more than one route under a chequer symbol or more than one place on a route, the routes and places shall be arranged vertically, reading from top to bottom in order of distance from the site where the sign is erected, the nearest route or place being uppermost.

11. In signs of the type shown in diagrams Nos. 37 and 45 in the First Schedule the order of directions, reading from top to bottom, shall be Ahead, Left Fork, Left Turn, Right Fork, Right Turn.

12.—(1) Except where otherwise indicated in the diagrams, and subject to paragraph (2) of this Regulation, all letters, numerals, symbols and borders on signs shown in Part I, Part II or Part III of the First Schedule shall be black on a white ground.

(2) Where approach direction signs so shown are erected at or near a road junction which is—

(a) situated within the administrative boundaries of a County Borough, Borough or Urban District in England and Wales, or of a Burgh (large or small) in Scotland; and

(b) there is provided on any of the roads entering the junction a system of street lighting furnished by means of lamps placed not more than 200 yards apart,

the background colour of any such through route approach direction signs (outside the route symbol panels on signs of the type shown in diagrams Nos. 25 to 37 inclusive) shall be light chrome yellow, and the background colour of any such local approach direction sign of the type shown in diagram No. 45 shall be traffic blue.

Carriageway markings

13. Lines may be placed on roads for indicating—

(a) the places where traffic must stop when required to do so either by a police constable engaged in the control of traffic or by a light signal;

(b) the course to be taken by traffic at road junctions, corners and curves; and

(c) the proximity and situation of street refuges.

14.—(1) The colour of lines and other traffic signs on the carriageway shall be yellow or white, and the lines may either be painted or may be made of metal or other suitable material.

(2) The width of transverse lines on the carriageway shall be 5 inches; the width of other lines shall be not less than four, nor more than 5 inches.

15.—(1) Signs consisting of studs or plates applied to the surface of a road may be used for any of the following purposes:—

(a) for indicating any of the matters referred to in paragraphs (a), (b) or (c) of Regulation 13 of these Regulations; or

(b) for dividing the carriageway into traffic lanes.

(2) Studs or plates used for any of the purposes aforesaid shall be not less than 4 inches nor more than 5 inches in width and shall be of any suitable white material.

Such studs or plates shall be so fixed that their outer edges are flush with the adjacent surface of the carriageway and that no part thereof projects more than half an inch above such surface.

16.—(1) The words "Look Left" or "Look Right" in letters 12 inches in depth the strokes of which are 2 inches in width may be used on the carriageway for the purpose of warning pedestrians in one-way streets.

(2) At places where traffic is required to turn to the left or to the right the words "Turn Left" or "Turn Right" may be used on the carriageway in letters 4 feet in depth the strokes of which are 4 inches in width, and the direction which traffic is to take may be further indicated by arrows with shafts 4 inches in width.

(3) The word "Slow" in letters 4 feet in depth and of the form shown in diagram No. 79 in Part IV of the First Schedule may be used on the carriageway at the approach to road junctions in built up areas and at similar places where drivers of vehicles are liable not to see other warning signs.

17. The limits of cab ranks and parking places may be marked on the carriageway by means of equilateral triangular studs with sides 5 inches in length at distances of 2 feet from each other.

Flashing Beacons

18. Beacons showing an intermittent red light may be used at important cross roads for the purpose of warning drivers subject to the following provisions:—

(a) the diameter of the lenses shall not be less than 6½...

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