Signage improvements: Traffic calming, warning of pedestrians

In this article, we look at signage improvements for traffic calming, including give way to oncoming traffic, priority over oncoming traffic, and humps . Also shown in this article are improvements to signs warning of pedestrians, including making the graphic for zebra crosssing actually look like a zebra crossing among other things.

In general, the improvements shown here (as in our other signage improvement articles) are to metricate, and either remove wordy supplementary plates, or to replace wordy supplementary plates with symbolic supplementary plates.

Give way to oncoming traffic

Given that the sign already means "Give way to oncoming traffic", there is no need to have a supplementary plate which says "Give way to oncoming traffic" which is nothing but clutter. This supplementary plate should be removed. A demonstration of how clearer the sign looks is shown below:

Give way to oncoming vehicles:
Before removing the unnecessary supplementary plate (left);
After removing the unnecessary supplementary plate (left)

Removing the supplementary plate means there is less clutter, improving the scenery, and a lot less signs to maintain (as these supplementary plates will have been removed).

Priority over oncoming traffic

This sign indicates that you have priority over oncoming traffic.  With this as well, there is no need for a supplementary plate just to say "Priority over oncoming vehicles" which is what the sign already means.  This supplementary plate will also need to be translated in Wales.  Remove the unnecessary supplementary plate and clutter will be removed, making the sign less cluttered and meaning a lot less supplementary plates to maintain. This is demonstrated below:

Priority over oncoming vehicles:
Before removing the unnecessary supplementary plate (left);
After removing the unnecessary supplementary plate (right)

Humps

I do not believe humps should be used everywhere for traffic calming.  I personally believe they should only be used where speed needs to be kept really low (30 km/h or less), and I believe that there are better alternatives for higher speeds (50 km/h) in urban areas.  However, this is to be covered in more detail in a separate article.

Nonetheless, regarding the existing hump signs, the things that need to be done is to metricate the supplementary plate, and get rid of all superfluous words.

Hump ahead:
Before removing the unnecessary supplementary plate (left);
After removing the unnecessary supplementary plate (right)

Hump 80m to the right:
Before metrication and recommended changes (left);
After metrication and recommended changes (right)

Humps for 400m:
Before metrication and recommended changes (left);
After metrication and recommended changes (right)

The UK Metric Association has also provided examples of wholly symbolic and metricated signs, including signs warning of humps, here.

Humped pedestrian crossings are covered in the next subsection.

Signs warning of pedestrians and related signs

As with distance plates for other signs, the zebra crossing distance plate needs to be metricated and made wholly symbolic where practical, words should be avoided.  In addition, the existing zebra crossing pictogram does not even look like a zebra crossing, so I have suggested an update to the design to make the pictogram look like a zebra crossing.

An example of a metricated zebra crossing warning sign, without and with an updated pictogram respectively is shown below:

Zebra crossing 80m ahead after metrication:
With existing pictogram (left);
With recommended updated pictogram (right)

Zebra crossing ahead:
With existing pictogram (left);
With recommended updated pictogram (right)

In the two examples above, the zebra crossing markings are much easier to see in the sign on the right, especially at a distance.

The humped pedestrian crossing warning sign can also be improved in the same way.  Firstly as demonstrated earlier, the zebra crossing pictogram can be updated, the words "Humped crossing" must be replaced with a hump graphic, and of course the distance metricated.  This is illustrated below:

Humped zebra crossing 100m ahead:
Before metrication and recommended changes (left);
After metrication and recommended changes (right)

This is yet another example of how a fully metricated and wholly symbolic sign is easier to read at a glance, does not need translation, is smaller and therefore cheaper to maintain.

At the same time, the sign giving a general warning of pedestrians crossing should also be made metric and wholly symbolic.  The pedestrians crossing warning sign is currently just a general warning sign with a worded supplementary plate ("Pedestrians crossing" which may or may not include a measurement).  This should be made wholly symbolic and language independent, an example is shown below:

Pedestrians 100m ahead:
Before metrication and recommended changes (left);
After metrication and recommended changes (right)

The general pedestrian warning sign is used wherever pedestrians can cross anywhere at any time.

For the traffic light controlled crossing however, a traffic light warning sign is sufficient, and the only changes that traffic light warning signs need are metrication of supplementary plates and usage of symbolic supplementary plates where relevant.

Below is an example of a traffic light controlled pedestrian crossing which is humped, and suggests the usage of a symbolic supplementary plate:

Traffic light with hump (a pedestrian crossing):
Before recommended change (left);
After recommended change (right)

An example of a metricated supplementary plate for a traffic light warning signs has already been shown in one of our previous articles here.

Possible new signs to prescribe: Zebra crossing here and hump here

Anyone who has travelled in continental Europe (where almost all nations are contracting parties to the Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals), might have noticed special zebra crossing and hump signs.   These are special regulation signs which indicate that a hump is there, and a sign to indicate a zebra crossing is there where pedestrians have priority.

UK specific designs of the "zebra crossing here" and "humped zebra crossing here" signs would look like below:

Zebra crossing here (UK design), pedestrians have priority.
This type of sign is used in continental Europe, and not
currently prescribed or used in the UK.

Humped zebra crossing here (UK design)

It would have saved money and electricity if these signs were used instead of the lights for zebra crossings (Belisha beacons - in use since 1934), but there is no reason not to consider mounting these signs underneath Belisha beacons in future, or to use more energy efficient lighting in place of existing incandescent lighting for the Belisha beacon (or its replacement if it is replaced), but that is a separate issue). Belisha beacons do have the advantage of being a visual reminder of a pedestrian crossing where pedestrians have priority.

For the hump sign, this makes clear that a hump is exactly there, and would need to be placed exactly where the hump is (it is not the same as the warning of hump ahead sign) as to let the road user know where the hump is:

Hump here (UK design)

The main reason for showing the three signs above in this subsection, is to show what these signs would look like in the UK. 

Replacement or removal of the wordy sign "Traffic calmed area"

Signs such as the wholly worded sign "Traffic calmed area" should be replaced or removed.  They should be replaced with a symbolic equivalent (with metric distances, and/or arrows) showing the nature of the traffic calming - it could be humps, road narrowing, priority over oncoming vehicles / oncoming vehicles have priority, a certain distance ahead and/or to the right or left. Alternatively, if applicable, the sign can removed.  The other thing that could be done is to make the entire traffic calmed area a 30km/h Zone if need be.

Either way, the point is that all wholly worded signs should be replaced or removed completely. In addition, all signs should conform to the Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals.