Hello,
I know that Stevenage has colour coded areas, and has various signage around the town (most of the directional signage is in a state of decay but the street name plates are still being produced in colour).
It may actually be someone else's error but Stevenage was declared a New Town in 1946 not 1960. In fact, I am pretty sure, that by 1960, at least some of Bedwell, Shephall, Broadwater and Chells had been built.
I suspect that the colour coding was very much a Stevenage Development Corporation thing. By the time, the Poplars estate was built (IIRC early to mid '80s), the Corporation had been wound up and therefore I suspect there may not have been an intention to actually extend the colour coding there (orange??).
I notice that the rather tatty sign shown on your Google link doesn't show Chells (yellow) or Pin Green (green). Presumably this is because they are the estates to the left and right respectively and if you have driven into the town from the direction of the village of Walkern you would have already turned left or right for the quickest routes to the centres of each area.
I lived in Stevenage for almost a year and used most of the local buses through the various districts, Chells Manor was also signed in white as well as Poplar – I suspect the colour–coding is no longer being used for new developments!
Crawley is another New Town with colour–coded districts – I think 13 district colours are currently in use (please correct me if I'm wrong) – the colours are indicated by two coloured horizontal bands on a white background street name–plate above and below the road/street name.
Some local authorities have an overall colour for the whole area but not individual districts, Walsall B.C.uses street nameplates in brown with white/cream lettering, and Staffordshire green with white lettering.
Southport has blue–background street nameplates but this isn't done consistently!
Definitely roads in the Industrial areas around Gunnels Wood have newish purple signs - and Chells appears to be a mix of yellow signs, some are new looking as well as white like poplars.
Re the coloured sign - I think that's right for the reasons Chells and Pin Green aren't shown. I wonder if there are any other of these signs left... I'm sure there were others, but I can't remember seeing them other than coming in from Walkern in a long time.
I do remember there was a significant archaeological dig on the site north of Fairlands way on what is probably now the Emperors Head in the mid 80s.
I've updated the wiki pages, to include Symonds Green & St Nicholas areas. These are counted as part of the Old Town & Pin Green with grey & green signage.
“The simple step of a courageous individual is not to take part in the lie" - Aleksandr I. Solzhenitsyn
Johnny Mo
I lived in Stevenage for almost a year and used most of the local buses through the various districts, Chells Manor was also signed in white as well as Poplar – I suspect the colour–coding is no longer being used for new developments!
Crawley is another New Town with colour–coded districts – I think 13 district colours are currently in use (please correct me if I'm wrong) – the colours are indicated by two coloured horizontal bands on a white background street name–plate above and below the road/street name.
Some local authorities have an overall colour for the whole area but not individual districts, Walsall B.C.uses street nameplates in brown with white/cream lettering, and Staffordshire green with white lettering.
Southport has blue–background street nameplates but this isn't done consistently!
Chris Williams
Crawley has 14 Neighbourhoods now, the north half of "Pound Hill" is now called "Forge Wood" and has the colour pink. Also the other new neighbourhood to the south "Kilnwood Vale" is kinda a 15th neighbourhood, however it part of Horsham District and not Crawley (at the moment at least).
Also that photo in the original post with the blue borders should of been removed by 2015!
"The use of blue borders on local signs was discontinued in 1994 and all blue‑bordered signs must have been removed by 2015." Traffic Signs Manual - Chapter 7 - Section 3.2.4
I lived in Stevenage for almost a year and used most of the local buses through the various districts, Chells Manor was also signed in white as well as Poplar – I suspect the colour–coding is no longer being used for new developments!
Crawley is another New Town with colour–coded districts – I think 13 district colours are currently in use (please correct me if I'm wrong) – the colours are indicated by two coloured horizontal bands on a white background street name–plate above and below the road/street name.
Some local authorities have an overall colour for the whole area but not individual districts, Walsall B.C.uses street nameplates in brown with white/cream lettering, and Staffordshire green with white lettering.
Southport has blue–background street nameplates but this isn't done consistently!
Chris Williams
Crawley has 14 Neighbourhoods now, the north half of "Pound Hill" is now called "Forge Wood" and has the colour pink. Also the other new neighbourhood to the south "Kilnwood Vale" is kinda a 15th neighbourhood, however it part of Horsham District and not Crawley (at the moment at least).
Also that photo in the original post with the blue borders should of been removed by 2015!
"The use of blue borders on local signs was discontinued in 1994 and all blue‑bordered signs must have been removed by 2015." Traffic Signs Manual - Chapter 7 - Section 3.2.4
Strictly speaking the information sign is not a prescribed diagram at all, but it's a close variant of the taxi stand information sign. The blue borders you refer to were for advance direction and flag type signs, so in any case this one would be exempt.
Bryn Terminally cynical, unimpressed, and nearly Middle Age already. She said life was like a motorway; dull, grey, and long.
