Variations between "London" and "Central London" on signs

[qwertyK]

This has got to be the road sign closest to London, well within Greater London, which signposts "London" rather than "Central" or "C." London

https://www.google.com/maps/@51.4914823 ... ?entry=ttu

There's quite a few others in Greater London usually on the outskirts that say London

Meanwhile parts of Surrey within the M25 have "Central London" on their signs rather than just London, as do signs in the Watford area.

[Steven]

IIRC, the distinction should be whether the signage is inside or outside the M25.

[Brenley Corner]

But should any sign say "London"? - joking!!!

[Nathan_A_RF]

List of primary route destinations in England says in the Greater London section:

(NB. Primary destinations in Greater London, other than Heathrow Airport, are usually only signed within the boundary of the M25)

I suppose there's no real rule about "London" and "Central London" as this note states "usually". I'd want only "London" to appear outside of the Greater London boundary and "Central London" to appear inside.

[Bryn666]

List of primary route destinations in England says in the Greater London section:

(NB. Primary destinations in Greater London, other than Heathrow Airport, are usually only signed within the boundary of the M25)

I suppose there's no real rule about "London" and "Central London" as this note states "usually". I'd want only "London" to appear outside of the Greater London boundary and "Central London" to appear inside.

Oh don't stir that one up again, we have a poster here who is adamant "London" should never appear on signs and only "(M25)" should be signposted outside of the M25 due to how they've interpreted that LTN 1/94 guidance. This is clearly crackers but what do I know, questioning the trunk road agencies which never get anything wrong ever...

Quite simply in a sensible country, it would be "London" as a general control point, with other radial destinations reached via the M25 arriving the closer you get. Cross the M25 and it's then the relevant part of Greater London - be that London (S), London (E), London (N), London (W), and of course Central London, or some dreary Zone 5/6 suburb that is only known because you can dump your car there and catch the tube.

[qwertyK]

List of primary route destinations in England says in the Greater London section:

(NB. Primary destinations in Greater London, other than Heathrow Airport, are usually only signed within the boundary of the M25)

I suppose there's no real rule about "London" and "Central London" as this note states "usually". I'd want only "London" to appear outside of the Greater London boundary and "Central London" to appear inside.

Oh don't stir that one up again, we have a poster here who is adamant "London" should never appear on signs and only "(M25)" should be signposted outside of the M25 due to how they've interpreted that LTN 1/94 guidance. This is clearly crackers but what do I know, questioning the trunk road agencies which never get anything wrong ever...

Quite simply in a sensible country, it would be "London" as a general control point, with other radial destinations reached via the M25 arriving the closer you get. Cross the M25 and it's then the relevant part of Greater London - be that London (S), London (E), London (N), London (W), and of course Central London, or some dreary Zone 5/6 suburb that is only known because you can dump your car there and catch the tube.

But then there's places within the M25 that are not in London, eg, a large part of Epping forest district in Essex. Here it's just London on the signposts not central.

And interestingly on the A14 about seventy miles away from London it makes the distinction between east London and central when advising motorists whether to take the M11 or the A1.

[Chris Bertram]

Watford is also within M25 and would take umbrage if you suggested that it was part of London.

South of the Thames, M25 is usually some distance from the Greater London boundary as well.

[MotorwayGuy]

"Central London / C. London" is signed on the A2 from Dartford Heath (which is the first junction within the M25) and continues until it disappears at the Bricklayers Arms.

There is of course also the capitalised LONDON M2 sign at Brenley Corner.

[qwertyK]

"Central London / C. London" is signed on the A2 from Dartford Heath (which is the first junction within the M25) and continues until it disappears at the Bricklayers Arms.

There is of course also the capitalised LONDON M2 sign at Brenley Corner.

Wonder if the latter is owing to some obscurity over whether "LONDON" would be a regional destination akin to "SOUTH WALES" or "THE NORTH".

[Chris5156]

Wonder if the latter is owing to some obscurity over whether "LONDON" would be a regional destination akin to "SOUTH WALES" or "THE NORTH".

At the time the sign was made, I think "LONDON" was a regional destination. The list of regional destinations was then amended to remove it. It was only a regional destination for a relatively short time, and it was a long time ago, so there are very few signs left that use it - this is probably the most prominent one.

[qwertyK]

Wonder if the latter is owing to some obscurity over whether "LONDON" would be a regional destination akin to "SOUTH WALES" or "THE NORTH".

At the time the sign was made, I think "LONDON" was a regional destination. The list of regional destinations was then amended to remove it. It was only a regional destination for a relatively short time, and it was a long time ago, so there are very few signs left that use it - this is probably the most prominent one.

When was it a regional destination?

[Chris5156]

Wonder if the latter is owing to some obscurity over whether "LONDON" would be a regional destination akin to "SOUTH WALES" or "THE NORTH".

At the time the sign was made, I think "LONDON" was a regional destination. The list of regional destinations was then amended to remove it. It was only a regional destination for a relatively short time, and it was a long time ago, so there are very few signs left that use it - this is probably the most prominent one.

When was it a regional destination?

Hard to say - I can't find a citation for regional destinations before LTN1/94, which as its name suggests dates from 1994. It would have been well before that I think. Bryn may know.

[Bryn666]

At the time the sign was made, I think "LONDON" was a regional destination. The list of regional destinations was then amended to remove it. It was only a regional destination for a relatively short time, and it was a long time ago, so there are very few signs left that use it - this is probably the most prominent one.

When was it a regional destination?

Hard to say - I can't find a citation for regional destinations before LTN1/94, which as its name suggests dates from 1994. It would have been well before that I think. Bryn may know.

There used to be "LONDON" signs around the Midlands, and at Almondsbury. These signs were original to the M5 and M4 opening, so the "LONDON" regional destination existed before "The NORTH" etc, which started to appear after 1975 but not in any consistent form. Interestingly, the 75 and 81 regs have "The SOUTH EAST" on the example gantry sign, which as far as I know has never been used (but would've been a better alternative to The SOUTH).

[Gareth Thomas]

"Central London / C. London" is signed on the A2 from Dartford Heath (which is the first junction within the M25) and continues until it disappears at the Bricklayers Arms.

The Kent/Greater London border is just after this junction, so I suppose it makes sense to consistently sign the route as "Central London" as a lot of traffic will have joined the A2 at the Darenth Interchange. Such as traffic here on the M20 approaching Junction 1, although this offers a distinction between "Central London" and "London (SE).

(Whilst checking exactly where the border was, I found this, which was quite interesting. )

At the time the sign was made, I think "LONDON" was a regional destination. The list of regional destinations was then amended to remove it. It was only a regional destination for a relatively short time, and it was a long time ago, so there are very few signs left that use it - this is probably the most prominent one.

There are signs like this on the M4 just before the M5 that say "LONDON, Bristol M32 M4".

[Vierwielen]

At the south-eastern end of the M6 Toll you have a choice of "London (M1)" or "London (M40)"

[KeithW]

On the A1 approaching the A14 junction heading south you see this on the left exit

London (E), Stansted (M11)
Felixstowe, Cambridge
A14

Straight ahead has this
London (C & W)
A1

On the M20 it says London.

[the cheesecake man]

On the A1 approaching the A14 junction heading south you see this on the left exit

London (E), Stansted (M11)
Felixstowe, Cambridge
A14

Straight ahead has this
London (C & W)
A1

Exactly what I was about to post. Putting just "London" on either route would be confusing. And before the recent A14 upgrade this choice was offered at Alconbury, even further away from London.

[Vierwielen]

AS one approaches the A446 turnoff (which leads to the M42) on the M6 (NE of Birmingham, the M6 is signposted "London (N & E)", but the A446 (which leads to London (W & S)) makes no mention of London.

[RichardA35]

AS one approaches the A446 turnoff (which leads to the M42) on the M6 (NE of Birmingham, the M6 is signposted "London (N & E)", but the A446 (which leads to London (W & S)) makes no mention of London.

It's quite a difficult route to get onto the M42 from the A446 after turning off the M6 at Junction 4 heading south (unless you use a tardis to get back to the 1970's).
At that point a driver has passed J4A where London is signed appropriately S & W on the M42 and N & E on the M6 (M1).

[Bryn666]

AS one approaches the A446 turnoff (which leads to the M42) on the M6 (NE of Birmingham, the M6 is signposted "London (N & E)", but the A446 (which leads to London (W & S)) makes no mention of London.

It's quite a difficult route to get onto the M42 from the A446 after turning off the M6 at Junction 4 heading south (unless you use a tardis to get back to the 1970's).
At that point a driver has passed J4A where London is signed appropriately S & W on the M42 and N & E on the M6 (M1).

You'd find RCS on the A45 listing London which you'd intersect and know to join before the M42, but the A45 itself is only signed to Coventry at that point. If you've missed the M42 exit and want to go to London you're best just using the M1 and trying harder next time