SCHEDULE 15LEGENDS FOR USE ON VARIABLE MESSAGE SIGNS

Regulation 58

PART IPRELIMINARY

1

1

In a legend prescribed by this Schedule the number of a junction shall be shown in the form of the letter “J” followed by the number of the junction.

2

Where this Schedule provides for a route number to be displayed on a sign, a compass point (“NORTH”, “SOUTH”, “EAST” or “WEST”) or an abbreviated compass point (“N”, “S”, “E”, “W”, “NW”, “NE”, “SW” or “SE”) may be added to the route number.

3

Where any part of a legend prescribed by this Schedule is shown in square brackets, the brackets shall not be displayed on a sign.

4

Different legends or different parts of the same legend displayed on a sign in accordance with this Schedule may be separated by a dash.

PART IISIGNS AUTOMATICALLY ACTIVATED BY VEHICULAR TRAFFIC

2

One of the following legends may be displayed on a sign which is activated by a particular type of vehicle approaching the equipment which controls the sign—

a

“OVERHEIGHT VEHICLE DIVERT” with—

i

an arrow;

ii

“USE” and a route number; or

iii

“FOLLOW” and a symbol shown in Part VII of Schedule 13;

b

“OVERHEIGHT VEHICLE TURN BACK”;

c

“HIGH VEHICLE USE MIDDLE OF ROAD”; or

d

“ONCOMING VEHICLE IN MIDDLE OF ROAD”.

PART IIILEGENDS GIVING WARNINGS OF ADVERSE WEATHER OR OTHER TEMPORARY HAZARDS OR INCIDENTS

3

1

A legend specified in sub-paragraph (2) may only be used in conjunction with—

a

a legend specified in Part IV;

b

a legend specified in Part V; or

c

a combination of a legend specified in Part IV and a legend specified in Part V.

2

The legends specified in this sub-paragraph are—

a

“ACCIDENT”;

b

“ANIMALS”;

c

a route number, a junction number or “EXIT” and “CLOSED”;

d

“CONGESTION”;

e

“DEBRIS”;

f

“DELAYS”;

g

“DIVERSION”;

h

“EXIT CLOSED”;

i

“FLOODS”;

j

“FOG”;

k

“FOG PATCHES”;

l

“INCIDENT”;

m

“LANE CLOSURE”;

n

“LANE[S]” followed by a number or numbers and “CLOSED”;

o

“LARGE LOAD”;

p

“LONG DELAYS”;

q

“MOBILE WORKS”;

r

“MOTORWAY CLOSED”;

s

“NO PHONES”;

t

“OBSTRUCTION”;

u

“PEDESTRIANS”;

v

“QUEUE”;

w

“ROAD CLOSED”;

x

“ROAD WORKS”;

y

“SKID RISK”;

z

“SLIP ROAD CLOSED”;

aa

“SMOKE”;

bb

“SNOW”;

cc

“SNOW PLOUGH”;

dd

“SPRAY”;

ee

“STRANDED VEHICLE”;

ff

“[STRONG] WINDS”;

gg

“[The name of a tunnel] TUNNEL CLOSED”;

hh

“WEIGHT CHECK”;

ii

“WORKFORCE”.

3

The following legends may be displayed on their own or in conjunction with another legend as mentioned in sub-paragraph (1)—

a

“[The name of a bridge] BRIDGE CLOSED”;

b

“BUS LANE CLOSED”;

c

“GRITTING IN PROGRESS”;

d

“NEXT SERVICE AREA CLOSED”;

e

“ONCOMING VEHICLE”;

f

“SETTING OUT ROAD WORKS”;

g

“SLOW MOVING LARGE LOAD”.

4

In sub-paragraphs (2) and (3) square brackets are used to indicate things which may be omitted.

PART IVLEGENDS INDICATING LOCATION OF TEMPORARY HAZARD OR INCIDENT

4

One of the following legends may be used only in conjunction (either on its own or in combination with a legend specified in Part V) with a legend specified in Part III—

a

a route number;

b

“ON [name of bridge] BRIDGE” or “ON BRIDGE”;

c

“AT” together with—

i

a place name,

ii

the name of a bridge or tunnel,

iii

a junction name or number or a junction number and “EXIT”, or

iv

“NEXT JCT” or “TOLL”;

d

“AFTER” together with—

i

a place name,

ii

the name of a bridge or tunnel,

iii

“BRIDGE” or “TUNNEL”,

iv

a junction name or number, or

v

“NEXT JCT”;

e

a number and “MILES”;

f

“AHEAD” preceded by a legend specified in paragraph 3(2)(v) or (w) only;

g

“FOR” together with a number and “MILES”;

h

“IN ROAD”;

i

a junction number;

j

a junction number “TO” and another junction number;

k

“ON SLIP ROAD”;

l

“TO” and a route number.

PART VADDITIONAL INFORMATION

5

1

A legend specified in sub-paragraph (2) may be used only in conjunction with a legend specified in Part III or a combination of a legend specified in Part III and a legend specified in Part IV.

2

The legends referred to in sub-paragraph (1) are—

a

a number and “HR DELAYS”;

b

[“ALL TRAFFIC”] [“CARS”] [“CARAVANS”] [“HGV'S”] [“HIGH SIDED VEHS”] [“AND”] [“M'CYCLES”] “USE” and a route number or “BUS LANE” or “HARD SHOULDER”;

c

[“ALL TRAFFIC”] [“CARS”] [“CARAVANS”] [“HGV'S”] [“HIGH SIDED VEHS”] [“AND”] [“M'CYCLES”] “FOLLOW” and a symbol shown in Part VII of Schedule 13 or a place name;

d

[“ALL TRAFFIC”] [“CARS”] [“CARAVANS”] [“HGV'S”] [“HIGH SIDED VEHS”] [“AND”] [“M'CYCLES”] and “LEAVE AT NEXT JCT”, “LEAVE AT” and a junction name or number;

e

“[ALTERNATIVE ROUTE] FOLLOW” and a symbol shown in Part VII of Schedule 13 or a place name;

f

“[ALTERNATIVE ROUTE] USE” and a route number;

g

“AT” and a place name, the name of a bridge or tunnel, “BRIDGE” or “TUNNEL”, or a junction name or number, or “NEXT JCT”;

h

“AVOID LANE CHANGES”;

i

“DO NOT USE HARD SHOULDER”;

j

“FOR” and a place name “USE” and a route number;

k

“FOR” and a place name “FOLLOW” and a symbol shown in Part VII of Schedule 13 or another place name;

l

“HGV'S LEAVE MOTORWAY”;

m

“LEAVE AT NEXT JCT”;

n

“LEAVE AT” and a junction name or number;

o

“REJOIN MAIN CARRIAGEWAY”;

p

“SLOW”;

q

“SLOW DOWN”.

3

In the legends specified in paragraphs (b), (c) and (d) of sub-paragraph (2), one or more of the words in square brackets may be included as appropriate.

4

In the legends specified in paragraphs (e) and (f) of sub-paragraph (2) anything in square brackets may be omitted.

5

In the legends specified in paragraphs (b) and (i) of sub-paragraph (2) “HARDSHOULDER” may be substituted for “HARD SHOULDER”.

PART VIOTHER LEGENDS

6

1

The following legends may also be displayed on a variable message sign—

a

“SIGNAL[S] UNDER TEST”;

b

“SIGNAL TESTS FOR” and a number of “MILES”;

c

“SIGNAL TESTS ON SLIP ROAD”;

d

“SIGN[S] UNDER TEST”;

e

“END OF SIGNAL TESTS”;

f

“END OF SIGN TESTS”.

2

The legends specified in paragraphs (a) to (d) of sub-paragraph (1) may be displayed with a pattern which has no particular meaning but which is designed to test the functioning of the variable message sign on which it is displayed.

3

In the legends specified in paragraphs (a) and (d) of sub-paragraph (1) the letter shown in square brackets may be omitted.