Shallowest Signed Gradient

[the cheesecake man]

See this thread for discussion of the steepest road.

On a recent trip down Long Hill a spotted this unusual 5% sign. Is this the shalllowest signed road gradient?

[Nathan_A_RF]

Lowest I've seen before was 5% on the run down to Dover
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.14332 ... ?entry=ttu

as well as 6% here on the A487
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.18660 ... ?entry=ttu

[Ruperts Trooper]

Any gradient at 5% or steeper should be signed as vehicles towing trailers need to slow down - or at least be careful not to let the speed rise.

[wallmeerkat]

Any gradient at 5% or steeper should be signed as vehicles towing trailers need to slow down - or at least be careful not to let the speed rise.

The M2 hill section on the outskirts of Belfast is 1 in 15, 6.6% or so, and isn't signed. Plenty of lorry traffic.

[Ross Spur]

A511 Ashby Road into Burton upon Trent has a 7% sign https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.80228 ... ?entry=ttu

[Truvelo]

A511 Ashby Road into Burton upon Trent has a 7% sign https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.80228 ... ?entry=ttu

I drive that most days of the week and when I have 20+ tonnes onboard the 7% heading out of Burton is very noticeable in terms of struggling up the hill. Heading in the direction of the photo I use the retarder which saves having to keep the foot on the brake. The shallow ones mentioned in this thread apply to lorries more than cars where even a modest grade up or downhill can have a significant effect.

[Bfivethousand]

A453

Unusual but serves a purpose. The bend is near 90 degrees and slightly concealed on the approach, it then begins to dip half way around. May be some overturning history, particularly from the pre-A42 days.

[DavidBrown]

Couple of 4% signs that I pass regularly;
A361 Tiverton
M5 Clevedon

[Nathan_A_RF]

And again with the 'towing vehicles reduce speed now' signs. Have those ever been authorised?

[Debaser]

Any gradient at 5% or steeper should be signed as vehicles towing trailers need to slow down - or at least be careful not to let the speed rise.

6.1.2. The sign to diagram 523.1 [steep hill downwards ahead] should normally be used only where the gradient is 10% or
more. The actual gradient to the nearest whole number should be indicated on the sign, e.g. a
gradient of 10.4% should be signed as 10%, but 10.6% as 11%.

6.1.3. On very steep or long hills where additional warning is considered necessary, the sign
may be repeated as appropriate, supplemented with the “Low gear now”, “Keep in low gear” or
“Low gear for” plate (see Figure 6-3) and a distance plate with or without a left or right arrow.
These plates must not be used alone. The sign may also be used with diagram 511 (see 2.4.3).

6.1.4. The circumstances justifying the additional plates cannot be stated precisely. Traffic
authorities, after consulting the police, will have to assess the need to advise drivers to
engage a lower gear and gauge the likelihood of this instruction being respected. It is difficult
to persuade drivers to select a lower gear to descend a long hill if their own assessment of
the need is different. Where drivers have a good view of the descent and can make their
own judgement, then an instruction to change gear will be obeyed only if they think it correct.
Instructions should not be given if they are likely to be ignored and any existing signs which are
not being respected should be removed.

6.1.5. “Low gear” plates are not normally used unless the gradient overall or in part exceeds
12% and the hill is longer than 800 metres. They are more likely to be justified where there are
also sharp bends.