“Out of City” On Roadsign

[FtoE]

Spending a few days in Portsmouth and have seen this included on a couple of road signs (the opposite of the much more common and ubiquitous “city centre” I suppose). I’ve never seen this anywhere else - including other ferry ports - and I think it’s quite useful, especially if directing those unfamiliar with a place to an outer-city bypass.

[skiddaw05]

I remember seeing these as well and at first thought it was referring to something like an out of town retail complex until I realised it was just exactly what it was saying
With most towns and cities you can go in a number of different directions to get out, but Portsmouth is fairly unusual in that you can only really head north to do so

[Chris5156]

It’s unique to Portsmouth, but quite ubiquitous across the city. It saves a lot of space on signs and keeps things very simple, given that it really doesn’t matter which route you take to get out. It will just direct you to the nearest road back to the mainland.

What I’m not sure about is whether it was ever authorised. Presumably Portsmouth CC has a city-wide special authorisation going back decades?

[c2R]

I like the French 'all directions' and 'other directions' signs for this reason

[Paul7755]

It’s unique to Portsmouth, but quite ubiquitous across the city. It saves a lot of space on signs and keeps things very simple, given that it really doesn’t matter which route you take to get out. It will just direct you to the nearest road back to the mainland.

What I’m not sure about is whether it was ever authorised. Presumably Portsmouth CC has a city-wide special authorisation going back decades?

Is it also the case that very few (if any) signs show road numbers on Portsea Island?

[DavidB]

Here's an 'Out of Town' sign in Teignmouth:

https://goo.gl/maps/iA8T8L8r6ucirZqe6

[Bryn666]

It’s unique to Portsmouth, but quite ubiquitous across the city. It saves a lot of space on signs and keeps things very simple, given that it really doesn’t matter which route you take to get out. It will just direct you to the nearest road back to the mainland.

What I’m not sure about is whether it was ever authorised. Presumably Portsmouth CC has a city-wide special authorisation going back decades?

There's nothing to prevent you using it as a destination - it's functionally no different to "through traffic" or "all major routes" which is a favourite in Blackburn.

[Fluid Dynamics]

I grew up and lived in Portsmouth until 18, including the 70s when Portsmouth’s motorways were built. The signs have always said ‘ out of city’. The city’s boundaries extend onto the mainland as well as Portsea Island, but these signs only occur on the Island. I presume the signing reflects that as well as being the UK’s only Island city, that getting off the Island is the only option to get anywhere else by car. It’s a testament to how well the road network works that an Island city of over 200,000 people is served by just 3 roads.

And yes growing up, I always felt it strange that most roads except the A3, M275 and A2030 aren’t signed.

[pjr10th]

I like the French 'all directions' and 'other directions' signs for this reason

At the first roundabout outside of St Helier's car-ferry harbour there is a sign saying 'All directions / Toutes directions'. Bizarrely translated into French as you would need to know English to use any other the other traffic direction signage around Jersey.

[Chris5156]

It’s unique to Portsmouth, but quite ubiquitous across the city. It saves a lot of space on signs and keeps things very simple, given that it really doesn’t matter which route you take to get out. It will just direct you to the nearest road back to the mainland.

What I’m not sure about is whether it was ever authorised. Presumably Portsmouth CC has a city-wide special authorisation going back decades?

There's nothing to prevent you using it as a destination - it's functionally no different to "through traffic" or "all major routes" which is a favourite in Blackburn.

Oh, interesting - I thought special legends like "out of city", that weren't an actual place name, were special cases that needed approval.

[vlad]

It's not quite the same (it's not a city to start with) but the start of the A39 in Falmouth is signed as "Outbound traffic".

[Rambo]

It's not quite the same (it's not a city to start with) but the start of the A39 in Falmouth is signed as "Outbound traffic".

Spotted this similarly in Padstow recently

[SteelCamel]

Spotted this similarly in Padstow recently

Surely that shouldn't be blue-bordered? It's the exact opposite of a local destination.

[jervi]

Brighton has this one. (although it says Town)
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.85128 ... ?entry=ttu. Likely installed when the Brighton Bypass was built here in the late 80s, although could be newer. There are no other ones that I am aware of.