PART 2THE TRAFFIC SIGNS GENERAL DIRECTIONS 2016

Citation, commencement and extent

1.—(1) This Part of this Instrument—

(a)may be cited—

(i)as the Traffic Signs General Directions 2016; and

(ii)together with Part 1, as the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016; and

(b)comes into force on 22nd April 2016.

(2) These General Directions extend to the whole of Great Britain.

Interpretation

2.—(1) In these General Directions, “the Regulations” means the Traffic Signs Regulations 2016.

(2) Other words and expressions used in these General Directions, which are also used in the Regulations, have the same meaning as in the Regulations.

Application of general directions

3.  The general directions in the final Part of each of Schedules 2 to 15 apply to the signs provided for in that Schedule to the extent indicated in the Schedule.

General provision about upright signs and associated plates and structure warning markings

4.—(1) A plate or structure warning marking may only be placed in conjunction with an upright sign with which it is associated.

(2) An upright sign which has an associated plate or structure warning marking may be placed with or without that associated plate or structure warning marking.

(3) Paragraph (2) does not apply in relation to a particular sign to the extent provision is made elsewhere in these General Directions about the placing of the sign with an associated plate or structure warning marking which contradicts paragraph (2).

General provision about placing of signs on vehicles

5.  A sign must not be placed on a vehicle except as expressly authorised by these General Directions.

General provision about the removal of temporary signs

6.—(1) Paragraph (2) applies to a sign placed for conveying to traffic a warning, information, requirement, restriction or prohibition of a temporary nature.

(2) The sign must not remain in place for longer than it is needed.

(3) Paragraph (2) does not apply in relation to a particular sign to the extent provision is made elsewhere in these General Directions about the removal of that sign.

Studs that provide illumination

7.—(1) A stud provided for in the Regulations that incorporates reflectors, retroreflecting material, a light source or any combination may only be placed if it complies with this general direction.

(2) If it incorporates reflectors or retroreflecting material, but no light source, a stud complies with this general direction if it is of a type which meets the applicable requirements and test specifications of the British Standard for retroreflecting studs.

(3) The applicable requirements and test specifications of the British Standard for retroreflecting studs for a type of stud of a description in column 2 of an item in the table are those shown in column 3.

(4) The appropriate national authority may approve the placing of a type of stud on a road for the purpose of testing whether that type complies with the applicable requirements and test specifications of the British Standard for retroreflecting studs mentioned in paragraph (3).

(5) A stud which incorporates a light source (whether or not it also incorporates reflectors or retroreflecting material) complies with this general direction if it is of a type which has been approved for use on roads by the appropriate national authority.

(6) Approval under paragraph (4) or (5) must be given by a notice in writing to the supplier of the stud.

(7) The notice may provide that approval is for a specified time period only.

(8) A time period may be varied by a subsequent notice and a subsequent notice may provide for a time period where one has not previously been given.

(9) All studs ceasing to be of an approved type by reason of the expiry of a time period must be removed before the expiry of that period.

(10) In this general direction “national authority”—

(a)in relation to roads in England and Wales, means the Secretary of State; and

(b)in relation to roads in Scotland, means the Scottish Ministers.

(11) An approval having effect immediately before the coming into force of these Regulations that applies in relation to roads in Scotland is to be treated as having been given by the Scottish Ministers in relation to those roads.

Mounting of upright signs

8.—(1) Where an upright sign is mounted on a post or other support specially provided for the purpose, the part of the post or support above the ground must be—

(a)a single colour; or

(b)the natural colour of the post or support,

but paragraphs (2), (3) and (5) provide for exceptions.

(2) Where the post or support is not likely to be readily visible to pedestrians, cyclists or equestrians, a yellow or white band not less than 140 mm nor more than 160 mm deep may be provided on the post with the lower edge of the band being not less than 1500 mm nor more than 1700 mm above ground level.

(3) Where the support provided for a portable upright sign comprises several components, the components need not all be of the same colour provided that each is of a single colour or the natural colour of the component.

(4) Paragraphs (1) to (3) do not apply to the mounting of a particular upright sign to the extent provision is made elsewhere in these General Directions about the post or other support for that sign.

(5) An identification code for maintenance purposes may be indicated, in characters not exceeding 25 mm in height, on a post or support on which an upright sign is mounted.

The backs of, and backing boards for, upright signs

9.—(1) Paragraph (2) applies to—

(a)the back of an upright sign;

(b)the back of any backing board; and

(c)any other fitting provided for the assembly of a sign (including any container enclosing apparatus for the illumination of a sign).

(2) The back or other fitting must be grey, black or in a non-reflective metallic finish.

(3) Paragraphs (4) and (5) are exceptions to paragraph (2).

(4) Information about sites for placing, and the ownership of, the sign, and an identification code for maintenance purposes, may be indicated on the back of the sign in characters not exceeding—

(a)25 mm in height, where they are shown in a contrasting colour; or

(b)50 mm in height, where they are embossed in the same colour.

(5) Information about the manufacture of the sign required in order to comply with—

(a)British Standard BS EN 12899-1:2007(1); or

(b)a corresponding EEA Standard,

occupying an area not exceeding 30 square centimetres, may be indicated on the back of the sign in characters not exceeding 5 mm in height.

(6) The front of any backing board for an upright sign must be coloured either grey or yellow.

(7) If the front of the backing board is coloured yellow it may be—

(a)reflectorised;

(b)fluorescent; or

(c)both reflectorised and fluorescent.

(8) Where the front of the backing board is coloured yellow, the board must be rectangular in shape.

(9) This general direction does not apply to the extent provision is made elsewhere in these General Directions about the backs of, and backing boards for, particular upright signs.

Mutual recognition of standards

10.  Any requirement in these General Directions to comply with a specified British Standard is satisfied by compliance with—

(a)a standard or code of practice of a national standards body or equivalent body of any EEA State,

(b)any international standard recognised for use as a standard or code of practice by any EEA State, or

(c)a technical specification recognised for use as a standard by a public authority of any EEA State,

which requires a level of performance equivalent to that required by the British Standard specified.

Special directions

11.  Nothing in these General Directions limits the power of the Secretary of State, the Scottish Ministers or the Welsh Ministers, by special direction under section 65(2) of the 1984 Act(2), to dispense with, add to or modify any of the requirements of these General Directions in their application to any particular case.

Revocations

12.  The General Directions specified in the table in Part 2 of Schedule 19 are revoked.

Saving

13.—(1) This general direction applies to a sign that is in place immediately before the coming into force of these General Directions which does not, but for this general direction, comply with these General Directions.

(2) For so long as the way in which it is placed would have conformed with the Pelican and Puffin Pedestrian Crossings General Directions 1997(3) or the Traffic Signs General Directions 2002(4), it is to be treated as having been placed in conformity with these General Directions.

Provision for review of these General Directions

14.—(1) The Secretary of State must from time to time—

(a)carry out a review of these General Directions;

(b)set out the conclusions of the review in a report; and

(c)publish the report.

(2) The report must in particular—

(a)set out the objectives intended to be achieved by the regulatory system established by these General Directions;

(b)assess the extent to which those objectives are achieved; and

(c)assess whether those objectives remain appropriate and, if so, the extent to which they could be achieved with a system that imposes less regulation.

(3) The first report under this regulation must be published before the end of the period of five years beginning with the day on which these General Directions come into force.

(4) Reports under this general direction are afterwards to be published at intervals not exceeding five years.