The Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016

PART 7 Provisions applicable to signs

1.  Section 36 of the 1988 Act applies to the sign.

2.  The sign is specified for the purposes of column 5 of the entry in Schedule 2 to the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988(1) relating to offences under section 36 of the 1988 Act.

3.  If the sign is displayed on a variable message sign and displays its aspects by means of light-emitting characters or symbols, the legend “SLOW DOWN” may be displayed beneath the sign (and any associated plates) in characters having a height of not less than one quarter of the height of the displayed sign.

4.  The sign must be illuminated by means of retroreflecting material.

5.  The safe height shown on the first associated plate must be between 1 foot 3 inches and 2 feet (380 mm to 600 mm) less than the height of the lowest part of the overhead wire, of which the sign gives warning, over the highest part of the surface of the carriageway beneath that wire.

6.—(1) Subject to sub paragraph (2), where the sign is placed on a road within 50 metres of any lamp which forms part of a system of street-lighting, the illumination requirements for the sign are—

(a) where that system of street-lighting is illuminated throughout the hours of darkness, the sign must be illuminated by internal or external lighting for so long as that system is illuminated and may also be reflectorised; or

(b) where that system of street-lighting is not illuminated throughout the hours of darkness—

(i) the sign must be illuminated by internal or external lighting for so long as that system is illuminated and must also be reflectorised; or

(ii) the sign must be illuminated throughout the hours of darkness by internal or external lighting and may also be reflectorised.

(2) Sub-paragraph (1) does not apply to a sign where the road is subject to a speed limit of 20 mph.

(3) The exception in sub-paragraph (2) does not apply to a sign provided for at item 2 or 5 of the Part 4 sign table mounted on a bridge or other structure and, consequently, sub-paragraph (1) applies to such a sign.

7.  The structure warning marking may be left unlit, or be illuminated either by means of internal or external lighting or by means of retroreflecting material.

8.  Paragraph 6 applies to that part of the sign, if any, which is the white arrow on a blue circular background.

9.  Where those parts of the sign coloured yellow, if any, are retroreflective, they may also be fluorescent.

10.  The sign must not be illuminated.

11.  The road marking must be reflectorised.

12.  The sign may have different numerals to those shown in the diagram.

13.  The arrow in the road marking may indicate a path to the left instead of to the right.

(1)

1988 c.53.