Misuse of Primary Route signs for PROWs

[jervi]

Today I was heading along the A273 through the South Downs National Park, although I've driven this road many times before, today I realized that the signs along it for Public Right of Ways are using the primary route sign colour scheme.
Two questions:
Anyone seen this in any other parts of the country
and secondly is this lawful for the local council to put out those signs (they are all fairly new, maybe past 10 - 15 years)

I personally don't really mind them, I think they are quite cute actually, but its like they are using road signs for non-road traffic.
[1] I like the design, although does't comply with TSM: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.92027 ... 312!8i6656
[2] Bit small for 50MPH traffic https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.90709 ... 312!8i6656
[3] Where the South Downs Way crosses, again seems too small for 50MPH traffic: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.90092 ... 312!8i6656

Also worth noting that the A273 has never been a primary route in whole or part, although the signs at the diverge of the A23 and on the A23/A273 link road (officially classified as the A273) do use the primary route scheme. Seen as such:
[4] https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.89515 ... 312!8i6656
[5] https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.89910 ... 312!8i6656

[darkcape]

I personally don't really mind them, I think they are quite cute actually, but its like they are using road signs for non-road traffic.

Cyclists, pedestrians and horse riders are still road traffic and if signs are viewable to drivers then designing them as such is probably appropriate, if nothing more than to act as a warning of NMUs?

[Berk]

I’m a little baffled by these signs, mainly because I’ve never seen them. Though I admit, I don’t drive down there that often.

Are they quite recent??

[jervi]

Cyclists, pedestrians and horse riders are still road traffic and if signs are viewable to drivers then designing them as such is probably appropriate, if nothing more than to act as a warning of NMUs?

While yes they are still road users, although I wouldn't want to walk along it (although I've seen some people doing so in the past), it is still incorrect use of the Primary route sign, and could cause confusion, especially here https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.90098 ... 312!8i6656 as a confused driver could mistake it as a proper road and not a bridleway. And likewise, opposite to that for the entrance to the Golf Course, someone may think it is a bridleway and forbidden to drive their car on it.
I would suggest they could of used a blue sign like this https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.89860 ... 312!8i6656 for the bridleway, on the same post as a brown sign for the golf course / jack and jill (at appropriate junctions)

I’m a little baffled by these signs, mainly because I’ve never seen them. Though I admit, I don’t drive down there that often.
Are they quite recent??

I personally didn't really notice them until I started driving a year ago, and only noticed they were wrong last week. However GSV suggests that they pre-date 2008, looking at historic satellite / aerial images, they weren't there in 2004. So looking at between 11 and 15 years old.

[Bryn666]

Public footpath signs have typically been green since at least 1964 as standard, but you can vary them to use any contrasting colours. Diagram 740 in the 1964 regs and Diagram 2610 in the 1994 regs show the basic clearly.

http://www.stermeparishcouncil.org.uk/_ ... 20sign.jpg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ ... 660481.jpg

Some are embossed too. Which is a nice touch on Worboys era signs.

[stevenson3529]

How about this primary footpath in Ashton Gate, Bristol?
Should it be in blue?

[Bryn666]

How about this primary footpath in Ashton Gate, Bristol?
Should it be in blue?

These are common across the country and as they're not actual prescribed traffic signs it doesn't make a difference what colour they are.

[Mark Hewitt]

The likes of "Public Footpath" and "Public Bridleway" signs have always been in green. You see them everywhere.
It's usually only when you have dedicated cycleways that you see signs in blue.

[jervi]

The likes of "Public Footpath" and "Public Bridleway" signs have always been in green. You see them everywhere.
It's usually only when you have dedicated cycleways that you see signs in blue.

Yes, public footpath and bridleway signs are normally either wooden, or metal with green/which signs. However the signs I pointed out are not typical footpath signs, they are designed and produced exactly the same as road signs.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.90108 ... 312!8i6656 = Primary route road sign.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.92413 ... 312!8i6656 = Footpath Sign.
NCN signs are blue, however any other cycle or footway signs can also be blue. Such as https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.89871 ... 312!8i6656 or https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.00114 ... 312!8i6656

How about this primary footpath in Ashton Gate, Bristol?
Should it be in blue?

While you would get away with cycling on the pavements in the presence of that sign, I wouldn't say that it is used (or produced) in a prescribed manner. Similar to the signs I often see on shared cycle surfaces that have a speed roundel of 10, although 1. 10 isn't a prescribed speed and 2. speed limits don't and cannot be applied to cyclists or other non-motor vehicles.