The Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016

PART 1 Provisions applying to signs in Part 2

1.—(1) Information or a warning, requirement, restriction or prohibition of a description in column 2 of an item in the sign table in Part 2 must be conveyed by a sign that is—

(a) of the colour and type; and

(b) complies with the requirements as to size,

provided for in the diagram in column 3, or that diagram as varied in accordance with Part 3.

(2) Column 4 identifies the applicable variant for the sign in question by reference to the appropriate paragraph number in Part 3.

2.  The warning for the purposes of the description in column 2 of item 13 of the sign table is that—

(a) there is a hazard ahead on the motorway or all-purpose dual carriageway road; and

(b) drivers should drive at a speed which does not exceed 30 mph until they are certain that the hazard has been passed or removed.

3.—(1) The significance of a light signal provided for at item 14 or 15 is that it conveys to vehicular traffic that such traffic—

(a) must not proceed in the lane or actively managed hard shoulder to which the sign relates; and

(b) must not enter that lane or hard shoulder until one of the signs mentioned at sub-paragraph (2), or the legend “END”, is displayed on a matrix sign in relation to that lane or hard shoulder.

(2) The signs referred to in sub-paragraph (1)(b) are—

(a) a sign provided for at item 1 of the Part 2 sign table in Schedule 10 (the maximum speed limit in mph); and

(b) a sign provided for at item 2 of that table (the national speed limit applies).

(3) This paragraph is subject to paragraph 5.

4.  Subject to paragraph 5, the significance of a light signal provided for at item 16 is that it conveys to vehicular traffic on the carriageway beside which the signal is mounted that such traffic must not proceed beyond the light signal.

5.  The prohibitions in paragraphs 3 and 4 do not apply to a vehicle being used—

(a) for at least one of the purposes mentioned in paragraph 5(6) of Part 1 of Schedule 14;

(b) for traffic officer purposes; or

(c) for traffic authority purposes where the vehicle is being used in connection with—

(i) an accident or other incident; or

(ii) the execution of works on the road (including the erection of barriers and signs in connection with the execution of works); or

(iii) in the exercise of functions under section 67(1) of the 1984 Act(1),

when observance of the prohibition would be likely to hinder the use of the vehicle for the purpose for which it is being used.

6.  For the purposes of this Schedule a matrix sign which is mounted on a post situated beside the carriageway but is projected over it or part of it is to be treated as a sign placed beside the carriageway of that road.

7.  The significance of a number in column 5 of an item in the sign table is that the equivalently numbered paragraph in Part 4 applies to the sign provided for at that item.

8.  The significance of a number in column 6 of an item in the sign table is that the equivalently numbered paragraph in the Schedule 15 General Directions applies to the sign provided for at that item.

(1)

c. 27. Section 67 was amended by the Road Traffic (Consequential Provisions) Act 1988 (c. 54), Schedule 3, paragraph 25(5), by the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 (c. 22), Schedule 8, Part 2, paragraph.50 and by the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 (c. 36), Schedule 2, Part 3, paragraph 16(3).