sign should not obscure another as is so often the case at present with finger post signs. Place names should be in lower-case letters and the signs should be reflectorised if they are not directly lit.
In some rural areas finger-post signs are surmounted by circular finials containing the name of the parish in which they are situated and also the grid number of the national survey map. We understand that this additional information has proved helpful to road users in finding their bearings and it seems to us that wider adoption of this practice would be appreciated. On Primary routes direction signs as distinct from advance direction signs. should be white on green with yellow route numbers if they carry the name of a destination reached via a Primary route, black on white with black route numbers if they refer to a non-Primary route. Direction signs to motorways should normally carry only the word 'Motorway' and the appropriate route letter and number without place names. The legend should be in white motorway characters on a motorway blue background (figure 95). At any junction where all-purpose roads diverge to different junctions with the same motorway the direction signs should indicate not only the motorway route number but also its destination. We recommend the sign at figure 92 to indicate the route to an airport.
Where the advance direction sign carries more than one name in any direction these should all be repeated on the direction sign at the junction, the route number of the second or subsequent names being also placed in brackets where it is not on the direct route.
153. There are at present too many junctions in urban areas without any directional signs. This situation dates from an epoch when traffic volumes were far less and we recommend that urban highway authorities should bring their signing up to the standard required by modern traffic conditions.
154. The purpose of route confirmatory signs is, as the name implies, to give drivers confirmation that they have taken their intended route out of a junction. They can also be used to give more information about the places which lie ahead than can be included on other directional signs. Route confirmatory signs should primarily repeat the information on the advance direction and direction signs, and add the mileage to the place name or names repeated. But where the road continues for a considerable distance under the same route number, route confirmatory signs should also include up to three, or exceptionally four, names and distances of places on the numbered route other than those shown on the advance direction sign provided they are within 150 miles or so. This distance could be greater in the case of London and other main centres. These names should be given in the order in which they will be reached and once mentioned they should continue to be shown on route confirmatory signs till they are reached. Places off the numbered route should only be included if they are major towns or cities and are within approximately 15 miles of the route; in this case, both the name and the mileage should be in brackets as shown in figure 93. In the interest of continuity the signs should show only the names of places which will be found on advance direction or direction signs further along the road.
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