General Discussion

Traditional county signs + M474 forum

Wed, 29 Jan 2025 18:08:09 GMT

Hello, two questions please, first for forum, second general enquiry: 1, What policies if any exist towards signposting traditional counties on the highways network? Can we create a database of potential signpost points (reviewing what signage currently exists), maybe up to around 4,000 signs? I also had a general design idea in mind. Will update any images as necessary in due course. Second general highways question: 2, Does anybody have any interest in developing an M474 mid-Wales motorway? Or does anyone know of a forum who I can ask this? I contacted one or two firms initially but no joy so far. KR, thanks,

Temp Housing Development Signs (Diag2701 & 2701.1)

Thu, 28 Nov 2024 13:12:40 GMT

Hi, I'm looking for some guidance. We are about to enforce removal of unauthorised housing development direction signs in Scotland and I'm trying to find where, if anywhere it states we have the powers in legislation to remove such signs. We do have our councils signing policy that covers it but I'm looking for something with a bit more weight behind it. And/or where it gives us powers to authorise or manage their use. Thank you.

Low Bridge Signing - Chord Measurements

Tue, 26 Nov 2024 11:49:57 GMT

Hi Troops. I'm looking at re-measuring all of our low bridges with a view to updating signing if necessary. Most of them are on the flat but at one, the carriageway rises up as it passes under one side of the bridge girders. TSM, CH.4 advises that "25m Chord" measurements should be taken in these situations, presumably to allow for long vehicles effectively rising up as they pass under the bridge but, not having a lot of topo-survey experience, I'm not sure exactly what that is or entails. My simplistic guess is that a string-line is run along, say, the centre-line of the carriageway 12.5m either side of a reference point on the underside of the bridge and the height is re-measured from that, as against from the carriageway surface. Can someone advise please as I'm trying to put something sensible into a brief for an external survey company to actually do the survey? All information gratefully received.

Cantilevered Signs

Mon, 11 Nov 2024 15:21:01 GMT

Good afternoon, I'm currently looking at design of a cantilevered sign and I'd appreciate if anybody ahs experience of designing something like this. The project which I am currently working on involves the cantilevering of the attached flag direction sign to reclaim the available footway width for pedestrians. I was wondering if there was a standard detail for this or a guidance document which would assist me in the design.

Cantilevered Signs

Mon, 11 Nov 2024 15:20:59 GMT

Cantilevered Signs

Mon, 11 Nov 2024 15:20:57 GMT

Road humps near a structure in a 20mph limit

Fri, 8 Nov 2024 12:27:41 GMT

The Road Humps Regs 1999 stipulate that no road hump shall be located within 25m of a culvert (as well as other structures) unless the road hump is within a "20mph Zone" (signed with Diag 674, not Diag 670), the assumption being that low traffic speed induced by traffic calming will unlikely damage the structure.

Since the 1999 Road Hump Regs, the TSRGD has relaxed the requirements of what constitutes a "20mph Zone" which originally required physical "traffic calming features" no more than 100m apart. "Traffic calming features" now include 20mph repeater signs, so the difference between a 20mph "limit" and a 20mph "Zone" has become negligible.

If a highway authority is satisfied that a hump would not cause damage to a structure, the decision whether to install it boils down to a technical signing issue.

Has anyone overcome this issue aside from simply not constructing the hump? Sought permission? Stuck up the requisite "20mph Zone" signs?

Preventing HGVs from using a layby stopover for exceptionally long stays

Tue, 29 Oct 2024 11:21:31 GMT

Hi all, On the A4 in our area, on a mainly rural stretch of the road, we have a service road of around 250m length that for decades has been used by HGVs as a useful layby rest area / tacho break site /overnight (and daytime) sleep spot for drivers. We now have a row of new properties within the length of the service road. Residents park on-street as the parking provision for the new properties is insufficient and residents complain the sloped driveway of their new houses are too steep. We have a burger van that operates 8am-10pm from the service road as well. We have had complaints from residents since they moved in about the HGVs, but have batted them off as they should have known this was used by HGVs. But we now have a different HGV problem as a resident who has bought a close-by derelict garage and workshop and is working on HGVs that he buys up then advertises for sale on eBay and parks them for days and weeks at a time in the service road. This is preventing the burger van from setting up, it's preventing residents from parking up and preventing genuine HGV drivers in need of a rest from accessing the area. It’s not a DVSA enforcement issue as far as we can tell as most of the HGVs he leaves on highway are Taxed and MOTd. Our local Councillor is demanding we ‘do something’ but there doesn’t seem to be an obvious parking restriction that could address this without it affecting the other users mentioned. Might a sign such as the one below be permitted (if would presumably need DfT Authorisation as it’s not a permitted variant) but I’m struggling how to address this and am sure this type of thing has been experienced as we want to prevent HGVs parking for a day of more but allow residents to park as long as they want and the burger van to park for it's licenced 14 hours and genuine HGV drivers to stay and sleep if nec. It's not a suitable site for a Permit parking scheme. . Advice would be welcomed as I'm stuck and we're being accused by local Councillor of just passing the buck to DVSA and ignoring the problem.

Sign post and foundation - wind return period 25 or 50 years?

Tue, 16 Apr 2024 11:57:43 GMT

The software I use to calculate post sizes and foundations allows the user to change the "Wind Return Period". It defaults to 25 years but the user can select 50 years or some other value. Is there any point in selecting a greater value than 25 years? What is the industry norm? I'm thinking of an urban context, sign sizes could be anything from a parking plate to, say, a 3m x 3m advance direction sign. Is there any published advice on the matter? I'm looking to quote it.

Lateral Placement/ Sideways clearance

Fri, 12 Apr 2024 12:45:42 GMT

Afternoon, Is there any actual guidance other than what's in TSM chapter 1 on the lateral placement(sideways clearance) from the front of the kerb to the edge of a sign face? We've been generally using 450mm, obviously depending on each site location etc.

Order of destinations on non primary Direction Signs

Thu, 4 Apr 2024 16:42:47 GMT

Hi folks, I'm looking for a bit of guidance regarding the order of destinations on Direction Signs. LTN 1/94 para 4.1.2(c) says "Place name destinations, generally in the order of furthest first". Does "first" mean the top of the sign? Para 4.1.3 then says "Where two or more destinations from the same category are indicated along the same route then the furthest destination will generally be at the top". I am currently redesigning the signs in the attached screenshot, and as you can see from the image, the closest destination is at the top. I've had a look around the area and in other council areas the closest destination is more often at the top. Can anyone advise which is correct or if there is other guidance I'm missing?

DfT Guidance - Know your Traffic Signs

Wed, 6 Dec 2023 13:26:48 GMT

The DfT has published a major revision of the booklet 'Know your Traffic Signs'. This guidance aims to illustrate and explain the most common traffic signs that the road user is likely to encounter. It is an accompaniment to The Highway Code.

The 2023 edition contains:

new guidance and images on clean air zones, ultra low emission zone and low emission zones in London, tunnel restriction codes, parking places for electric taxis, bus gates, share space, parallel crossings
updated guidance and signs for road charging, rising bollards, bus lanes, on-street parking places, pedestrian and cycle zones, motorway signals, variable signs, motorway service areas, diversion routes, UTC (urgent treatment centre), traffic signals for cyclists, road works and temporary situations, bridge height warning signs
new guidance specific for Wales and for Scotland

Find out more at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/know-your-traffic-signs

Planted Foundations to PD 6547

Tue, 28 Nov 2023 23:40:43 GMT

I have found the IHE Sign Structure Guide to be extremely illuminating and an grateful to the authors for it's creation and clarity. Of particular interest to me is some of the technical background given on the design of planted foundations based on the PD 6547 method.

Whilst I'm not involved in the design of road signs, I do design a lot of site hoardings. The Temporary Works forum have a guide document on this which advocates the use of the PD 6547 foundation design method. The guide can be obtained here.

I have 2 queries in relation to the PD foundation design method:

1) The TWf guide includes foundation sizing tables that do not satisfy the minimum foundation depth (i.e. the 1.5 x footing diameter recommendation mentioned p.24 of the highways guide). Whilst I intuitively agree with this minimum depth limit, I have not found any reference to support it, either in PD 6547 or anywhere else (and I've really looked!).

2) PD 6547 Cl.6.3.2 suggests a foundation FoS of 1.25, whereas the TWf guide has increased this to 1.5. I'm wondering if this is necessary - I can't imagine a hoarding failing having consequences any more or less serious than a road sign or lampost falling onto a highway.

I would be very keen and grateful to hear from anyone who can help deepen my understanding of the PD method.

Yours gratefully,

Martin
martin@smartbuild.uk.com

Traffic Sign Asset Management

Tue, 13 Jun 2023 11:40:11 GMT

Hi, My team and I are in the process of creating a new traffic sign inventory for all the signs in our area and I'm wondering if anyone would be able to give any guidance on potential asset ID numbering system for the assets? So far in the test we have just numbered them from 1-53000 but that could mean sign 1 and 2 are on opposite sides of our area. I'm not convinced this is the best way to go. I'm not sure if it would be better to have the numbers indicate the type of sign, area or both etc. Any guidance would be much appreciated, Thanks.

No Entry with Except Cycles plate on an ADS

Mon, 5 Jun 2023 18:42:53 GMT

Can a No Entry symbol with an "Except cycles" plate be used on a map-type ADS? There was a similar query last month where one respondent said that any plate that is permitted under a regulatory sign is also allowed on an ADS. Wording for supplementary plates on ADSs is covered in Sch 3, Pt 3, items 8 and 15 but "Except cycles" isn't one of them. Can someone clarify this?

Road Safety Audit - Odd?

Wed, 3 May 2023 22:01:22 GMT

Hi, Has anyone ever heard of a Stage 2 Road Safety Audit where the 2 auditors report that they driven behind traffic on a stretch of road several times in order to gauge the speed of that traffic and reported on their findings in the audit? - even though there has already been automated speed and volume monitoring carried out on the road - is it appropriate for them to adhoc report on traffic speed from literally looking at their speedo? Thanks Al

Road Hump Regulations

Thu, 27 Apr 2023 13:16:48 GMT

Just need your thoughts. We are currently in a long correspondence trail with a resident where some traffic calming is being proposed. As part of the notice period we consulted key stakeholders, put notices on site and in the local newspaper. The resident is trying to claim that we didn't consult with him directly and he should have had individual notices. RHR 1999 states that C. we consult with those affected. Would you in other LA's consider, or do, send individual notices/letters to residents affected??: (c)in all cases, organisations appearing to him or them to represent persons who use the highway to which the proposal related, or to represent persons who are otherwise likely to be affected by the road hump.

Tuesday Teaser

Tue, 25 Apr 2023 16:13:17 GMT

Here's one for fun. I saw this in the UAE recently whilst visiting my son and his family. Saw this and thought of you...

No Entry sign and Supplemental plate on an ADS sign.

Tue, 25 Apr 2023 16:01:03 GMT

Afternoon, I'm looking for some guidance on the sign attached that needs replaced. I'm looking at renewing the sign but changing the wording on the no entry's supplemental plate to Except Buses but I can't see any guidance on this type of thing. Am I permitted to have Except Buses below the no entry symbol on an ADS sign? What x-height would be used for or how do I calculate it, if the x-height of the ADS signs is 100mm? Thank you.

Signing for side road closures

Thu, 16 Mar 2023 15:46:17 GMT

I am seeking some advice for the following situation. When a side road ahead is closed with a S14(1)TTRO what is the correct signing sequence on the approach assuming a standard two-way 30mph road? I would typically expect: Road works ahead with arrow sub plate; Road ahead closed; No left or right turn sign If the road is closed across the junction mouth then there is no access then no vehicles can access it. However, it has been suggested that the no left/right turn signs can not be used as they need s specific TTRO for their use. Is this correct? Would a typical S14(1) not meet the requirements, in that if a junction entrance to a road is closed then a turn into the junction is not permitted? Should a no leftright turn sign only be used with a specific TTRO and therefore be routinely omitted from the design? The second point I have encountered is that some councils have stipulated that at the closure point a No entry sign is also mandatory along with the road closed sign. Is this necessary and needed and thus there for a road closed sign with red/white block board not sufficient? Thank you, Kevin Holland