52. The most important of our existing signs which are erected to indicate junctions is the Halt at major road ahead sign (Regs. 204). The inverted red triangle within the red circle which surmounts this sign follows the Protocol. Its injunction, however, is contained on a T shaped white plate below this symbol. This plate was purposely made different in shape from any other in order that the sign would be recognised even when its legend was covered by snow. On balance we do not think the dangers of complete defacement by snow sufficiently great to justify a radical departure from the Protocol, since in such weather conditions drivers would most likely be proceeding slowly and with extra caution. We there fore recommend the adoption of the sign at figure 7 incorporating the word 'Stop'. We believe this word to be necessary on safety grounds and preferable to 'Halt' as used at present.
The French highway code stresses that this sign has a dual significance. Drivers must not only stop but also (as is indicated by the inverted triangle) give way to traffic on the priority or major road. This is an important distinction and we recommend that it should be emphasized in our own Highway Code.
We recommend that the Stop sign be used only at junctions where visibility is so bad that it is imperative to stop on every occasion. It is important that this rule be strictly followed. If the sign is used where to stop is never or rarely necessary it will tend to be ignored and its impact upon drivers will be depreciated, with serious consequencies to road safety (see paragraph 225).
53. At certain junctions where control is not exercised by traffic signals, police, or a Stop sign there will nevertheless be a need for a sign in addition to the new transverse carriageway marking which we advocate in paragraph 224. We therefore recommend for this purpose the sign at figure 8. Since avoidance of accidents will depend upon drivers obeying the sign we believe that it should be given a legal mandatory significance and the meaning of 'proceed so as not to cause inconvenience or danger to traffic on the major road'. How to express this most clearly in Regulations will be a matter for discussion with legal draftsmen. The message of the inverted triangle should be reinforced by the words 'Give way', which we regard as a more positive command than that contained in the Slow major road ahead sign (Regs. 205) which we recommend should no longer be used. In recommending this Give way sign we are deliberately departing from the Protocol not only by adding words but in advocating that the sign should be made mandatory.
In our view the Give way sign should be used on all minor roads at their junctions with Primary roads in rural areas so that the Primary roads became 'protected' routes; at junctions where there is a considerable volume of traffic on both the major and the minor roads and at any junction where the highway authority decides that a more emphatic distinction is needed than that given by the carriageway marking itself (see paragraph 224).
54. This sign should be replaced by a mandatory arrow in the form shown at figure 12 or in the form shown at figure 13 when used in advance of the junction.
12
