Inland Transport Committee of E.C.E. (reproduced in figure 1 of Appendix III), but we feel that its attempt to show in perspective a road with limited access results in extremely poor design. We find it confused and over-representational, it does not tell well at a distance and it lacks the instant impact which we believe to be essential. Cancelled by a red diagonal bar to denote the end of a motorway (figure 2 of Appendix III), it is particularly unattractive. Moreover, if it is to be incorporated in various traffic signs relating to the motorway, as we originally proposed, we believe it will be impossible, because of its shape and complexity, to prevent its becoming confused with the vertical edges of blocks of lettering elsewhere on the same sign. For these reasons, and in the absence at that time of international agreement, we were unable to recommend its adoption in this country. Instead we provisionally recommended the less pictorial symbol shown in figure 3 of Appendix III. We understand that in Europe the perspective symbol will be exhibited on its own sign-plate and not as part of a larger sign, but it seems to us that one of the merits of our own simpler, circular motif is that it can be used for either purpose, either on its own or as part of another sign, and can make its impact without becoming confused with other messages. Your predecessor accepted our symbol for experimental use on the Preston By- Pass, where it quickly became accepted as a recognisable part of the motorway scene. While we appreciated that the need to secure agreement internationally might determine the symbol ultimately to be adopted, we suggested that an attempt should be made to obtain acceptance of the one we recommended.
44. In the meantime we considered whether any improvement was possible in the symbol we recommended. We finally decided in favour of the one illustrated in figure 4 of Appendix III. It bears a close resemblance to the original, which has however been reversed in order to meet the rather frivolous criticism that in the earlier version the diagonal bars gave the impression of a motorway coming to a sudden stop; the circular white border has also been thickened and its junctions with the diagonal bars have been rounded. The version in figure 5 of Appendix III can be used at the end of the motorway to show that the motorway Regulations no longer apply.
45. At the same time we considered whether the European symbol could be improved by means of not too sweeping modifications, and we now submit as figure 6 of Appendix III a version of the perspective representation which we are convinced is the best possible attempt to reconcile conformity with international practice and the interests of good design. It has not proved possible, however, to remove what we conceive to be the faults of the European symbol without altering it beyond recognition.
46. As we see it the choices before you are four: first, which we should much prefer, to adopt the symbol illustrated in figures 4 and 5 of Appendix III; secondly, if conformity with international practice is paramount, to adopt our version of the European symbol at figure 6 of Appendix III; thirdly, to adopt the original European symbol at figures 1 and 2 of Appendix III; and fourthly, to do without a motorway symbol altogether and to rely on the distinctive white on blue colour scheme of the other signs we recommend in this report to denote that a road is a motorway (this fourth alternative has in fact been tried out on the London-Yorkshire Motorway, where it appears to have proved effective).
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