1mile junction signs on motorways that still only have the route number

[Gareth Thomas]

For example, this one for Junction 12 on the M20.

(And yes, pedants, I know this one actually says 2/3m! Haha!)

Any more examples of similar signs that for one reason or another were not replaced with new signs with the destinations on them?

[hoagy_ytfc]

What was the original rationale for only having road numbers on them? I always thought it was a bit odd.

[Darren]

(And yes, pedants, I know this one actually says 2/3m! Haha!)

Any more examples of similar signs that for one reason or another were not replaced with new signs with the destinations on them?

Yes, further along the M20 towards London!

https://goo.gl/maps/GQ6CyPD9FYmdSW3e7

It's also the newest, I suspect, as well as being the one that'll be removed soonest.

(The original was replaced by this temporary version due to the smart motorway works going on and, once they're done, there will be gantries instead, thus meaning it won't be reinstated).

[c2R]

M11 N.B at J7

[Bryn666]

What was the original rationale for only having road numbers on them? I always thought it was a bit odd.

We still largely navigated by route number in 1958 when the system was designed.

Take a look at the size of road numbers against destinations on pre-Worboys signs too.

[Steven]

What was the original rationale for only having road numbers on them? I always thought it was a bit odd.

We still largely navigated by route number in 1958 when the system was designed.

Take a look at the size of road numbers against destinations on pre-Worboys signs too.

It's also worth remembering that the standard designs for 1 mile, 1/2 mile and at the junction were all different - so drivers could tell at a glance exactly how far to the exit.

[James1978]

This one only got replaced late last year (was gutted when I went past just before Christmas and there was a new sign saying Washington (South) on it)!!

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@54.90364 ... 312!8i6656

[M5Lenzar]

It's basically just a long slip-road but M23 north of J8.

[Beardy5632]

M4 approaching the M5.

[Truvelo]

Another reason no one else has mentioned is motorway signs were deliberately intended to have no clutter and just convey the most important information. This also explains why pre-1994 ADS signs are completely blue regardless of the class of roads leading from the junction.

[trickstat]

I think this signage made a certain amount of sense when showing it was 1 mile to the interchange with another motorway (e.g. M4/M5, M23/M25 etc). Where they are or were not so helpful is the M20/A20 example. The M20 runs close to the A20 for almost its whole length and there are several junctions where you can access one from the other, so a sign just saying A20 isn't particularly useful and may even have caused the odd driver to panic and manoeuvre to leave earlier then they needed to.

[stefan]

M65 J12 Lancashire county county own the motorway from J10 to end
https://goo.gl/maps/nZfjho6Yv9jqDW3k9

[Bryn666]

M65 J12 Lancashire county county own the motorway from J10 to end
https://goo.gl/maps/nZfjho6Yv9jqDW3k9

These replaced the originals, which is inexcusable laziness on the part of the sign designer.

[ChrisH]

Two on the A329(M) (which is controlled by Wokingham Borough Council not Highways England):

One heading north towards the M4: https://goo.gl/maps/ZygGiKNQx7tmGqox9

One heading south towards Bracknell: https://goo.gl/maps/g8z6rsUPcfhZioC1A

[Conekicker]

For example, this one for Junction 12 on the M20.

(And yes, pedants, I know this one actually says 2/3m! Haha!)

Any more examples of similar signs that for one reason or another were not replaced with new signs with the destinations on them?

The old, (last prescribed in 1981), Diagram 905 sign. They ceased to be prescribed on 1st January 2005 and none should still be present. Still, you can't rush replacing things, can you...

[James1978]

https://www.sabre-roads.org.uk/wiki/ind ... 3_sign.jpg

Does this one still exist? Surely it should never have been there in the first place if the road number is on a white patch?

[Chris5156]

https://www.sabre-roads.org.uk/wiki/ind ... 3_sign.jpg

Does this one still exist? Surely it should never have been there in the first place if the road number is on a white patch?

Road numbers in white patches are fine on a green-background sign. The issue there is that there shouldn't be a one-mile sign on an A-road! It looks like whoever arranged for it was attempting to erect signs on an A-road that would match those provided on a motorway.

[James1978]

I did actually mean that since I thought road-number-only signs were discontinued in 1994 (the same time as white patching on green primary signs came into use), that on those two counts that sign is an anomaly?

(Plus I know that stretch of the A50 only opened in around 1997 as well!)

[jervi]

The issue there is that there shouldn't be a one-mile sign on an A-road! It looks like whoever arranged for it was attempting to erect signs on an A-road that would match those provided on a motorway.

What is the correct distances to have those signs on an A-Road, why is it so bad to have a 1 mile sign?

[Johnathan404]

Dorset County Council have placed this new sign on the Bournemouth Spur Road.

It is a double-fork ADS. The first exit is marked "Quarry Only". The second exit is shown as 2 miles away, and it is labelled "B3073 ". There is nothing else on the sign.

I did wonder if they didn't want to name the airport in case that meant they had to clarify that the town is straight ahead. This doesn't explain why Christchurch couldn't have been included, though.