GENERAL DESIGN RULES FOR SIGNS ON MOTORWAYS
10.10 Signs on motorways generally follow the same design rules as those for signs on all-purpose roads. Thus a map type grade separated junction sign would be similar in design to the signs shown in figure 5-11 (e.g. the width of the route symbol is 5sw). Gantry signs are similar to those in figure 9-1, except that the downward pointing arrows and horizontal bars are omitted from the lane drop signs (diagrams 2908.1 and 2909). The arrows on these signs are placed on blue patches located below the main sign assembly. The sign shown in diagram 2908.1 comprises the top part of the non lane drop sign mounted above a lane drop sign. This sign is used where a lane drop exit slip road closely follows a lane diverge. Motorway signs do not have junction names and, other than diagrams 2914 and 2914.1, signs on the main carriageway never have coloured pane/s. Distances to destinations are not shown on motorway signs, other than on route confirmatory signs.
10.11 Motorway signs differ from all-purpose road signs in that they use the Motorway alphabet for route numbers (except as detailed in paras 10.8, 10.15, 10.16 and 10.17). Spacing rules for the Motorway alphabet are shown in figure 10-6. It should be noted that, for vertical alignment, Motorway alphabet is treated in the same way as a panel, patch or symbol when placed alongside a destination in the Transport Medium alphabet. The Motorway tiles are positioned level with the Transport Medium tiles and then raised by 0.5sw. Not only does this produce a balanced appearance, it ensures that for a single line legend the Motorway characters are centred vertically between the top and bottom borders of a gantry sign. Characters from the Motorway alphabet should be at least 2.5sw from the arrow or horizontal bar in diagrams 2904 and 2904.1 or from any border. Where full size brackets (not compass point brackets) are used, the vertical gap to arrows, bars or borders should be at least 4sw.
10.12 Special rules apply for vertical block spacing. Where the place name and route number are on the same line in each block, the vertical block spacing is 4sw. However, this dimension is increased where the lower block has the place name and route number on different lines. As line spacing is set at 2sw, it is important that the place name and route number are seen to be in the same block. The increased block spacing is 5sw measured from the route number in the upper block, or 4.5 sw measured from the place name in the upper block, as appropriate. Where the lower block does not have an associated route number (e.g. "Services") the same increased block spacing rules apply.
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