The Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 1994

Certain temporary signs

41.—(1) A temporary sign shall be of such size, colour and type as is specified in this regulation.

(2) The shape of a temporary sign shall be—

(a) rectangular;

(b) rectangular but with the corners rounded; or

(c) pointed at one end but otherwise rectangular in accordance with (a) or (b).

(3) A temporary sign may incorporate—

(a) wording;

(b) numerals;

(c) arrows or chevrons;

(d) any appropriate symbol taken from any diagram in any Schedule; and

(e) the arms, badge or other device of a traffic authority, police authority or an organisation representative of road users,

and shall be of a size appropriate to the circumstances in which it is placed.

(4) Every letter and numeral incorporated in a temporary sign other than any letter incorporated in the sign in accordance with paragraph (3)(e) shall be not less than 40 nor more than 350 millimetres in height, and every arrow so incorporated shall be not less than 250 nor more than 1000 millimetres in length.

(5) Every letter, numeral, arrow, chevron or symbol, other than a sign shown in a diagram in Schedules 1 to 5 when used as a symbol, incorporated in a temporary sign shall be—

(a) black on a background of white or of yellow;

(b) white on a blue background;

(c) blue on a white background;

(d) if the sign conveys information or warnings of the kind mentioned in sub-paragraphs (c) or (d) of paragraph (7), white on a red background, except where it is placed on a motorway when it shall be black on a yellow background; or

(e) if the sign is a variable message sign, yellow on a black background or black on a yellow background, except when the sign is not in use when it shall display a plain black or grey face.

(6) No temporary sign shall convey to traffic any information, warning, requirement, restriction or prohibition of a description which can be conveyed either by a sign shown in a diagram in Schedules 1 to 12 or by a sign so shown placed in combination or in conjunction with another sign so shown in such a diagram.

(7) In this regulation “temporary sign” means a sign placed temporarily on or near a road for conveying to traffic—

(a) information as respects deviations or alternative traffic routes;

(b) information as respects the route which may conveniently be followed on the occasion of a sports meeting, exhibition or other public gathering which in each case it is anticipated will attract a considerable volume of traffic;

(c) information as to the date from which works are to be executed on or near a road;

(d) information or warnings as to the avoidance of any temporary hazards occasioned by works being executed on or near a road, by adverse weather conditions or other natural causes, by the failure of street lighting or by malfunction of or damage to any apparatus, equipment or facility used in connection with the road or anything situated on, near or under it or by damage to the road itself; or

(e) requests for information by the police in connection with a road traffic accident.