Place identification signs
Place identification signs may be used to show the frontier between two countries or the boundary between two administrative divisions of the same country or the name of a river, mountain pass, beauty spot, etc. These signs shall differ conspicuously from the signs referred to in Article 13 bis, paragraph 2, of this Convention.
Article 19
Confirmatory signs
Confirmatory signs are used to confirm the direction of a road where the competent authorities consider it necessary, e.g. at the exit from a large built-up area. They shall bear the name of one or more places, as provided in Article 16, paragraph 1, of this Convention. Where distances are shown, the figures expressing them shall be placed after the name of the locality.
Article 20
(Deleted)
Article 21
Provisions applying generally to informative signs
1. The informative signs referred to in Articles 15 to 19 of this Convention shall be set up where the competent authorities consider it advisable. The other informative signs shall be set up, with due regard for the requirements of Article 6, paragraph 1, only where the competent authorities consider it essential; in particular, signs F,2 to F,7 shall be set up only on roads on which facilities for emergency repairs, refuelling, accommodation and refreshments are rare.
2. Informative signs may be repeated. An additional panel placed below the sign may show the distance between the sign and the point which it indicates; this distance may also be inscribed on the lower part of the sign itself.
Article 22
(Deleted)
Chapter III
TRAFFIC LIGHT SIGNALS
Article 23
Signals for vehicular traffic
1. Subject to the provisions of paragraph 12 of this Article, the only lights which may be used as light signals for regulating vehicle traffic, other than those intended solely for public transport vehicles, are the following, which shall have the meanings here assigned to them:
(a) Non-flashing lights:
(i) A green light shall mean that traffic may proceed; however, a green light for controlling traffic at an intersection shall not authorize drivers to proceed if traffic is so congested in the direction in which they are about to proceed that if they entered the intersection they would probably not have cleared it by the next change of phase;
(ii) A red light shall mean that traffic may not proceed; vehicles shall not pass the stop line or, if there is no stop line, shall not pass beyond the level of the signal or, if the signal is placed in the middle or on the opposite side of an intersection, shall not enter the intersection or move on to a pedestrian crossing at the intersection;
(iii) An amber light, which shall appear alone or at the same time as the red light; when appearing alone it shall mean that no vehicle may pass the stop line or beyond the level of the signal unless it is so close to the stop line or signal when the light appears that it cannot safely be stopped before passing the stop line or beyond the level of the signal. Where the signal is placed in the middle or on the opposite side of an intersection the appearance of the amber light shall mean that no vehicle may enter the intersection or move on to a pedestrian crossing at the intersection unless it is so close to the crossing or the intersection when the light appears that it cannot be safely stopped before entering the intersection or moving on to the pedestrian crossing. When shown at the same time as the red light, it shall mean that the signal is about to change, but shall not affect the prohibition of passing indicated by the red light;
(b) Flashing lights:
(i) A red flashing light, or two red lights flashing alternately, one light appearing when the other is extinguished, and mounted on the same support, at the same height, and facing the same direction shall mean that vehicles shall not pass the stop line or, if there is no stop line, shall not pass beyond the level of the signal; these lights may be used only at level-crossings, at approaches to swing bridges or ferry-boat landing stages, and to indicate that traffic may not proceed because of fire-fighting vehicles entering the road or of the approach of an aircraft which will cross the road at a lower altitude;
(ii) A single amber flashing light or two amber lights flashing alternately shall mean that drivers may proceed but shall do so with particular care.
2. The signals of the three-colour system shall consist of three non-flashing lights, which shall be red, amber and green respectively; the green light shall appear only when the red and amber lights are extinguished.
3. The signals of the two-colour system shall consist of a non-flashing red light and a non-flashing green light. The red light and the green light shall not appear at the same time. Signals of the two-colour system shall be used only in temporary installation, subject to the period allowed under Article 3, paragraph 3, of this Convention for the replacement of existing installations.
3. bis (a) The provisions of Article 6, paragraphs 1, 2 and 3, of the Convention which relate to road signs shall apply to traffic light signals other than those used at level-crossings.
(b) Traffic light signals at intersections shall be placed before the intersection or in the middle of and above it; they may be repeated at the far side of the intersection and/or at the drivers’ eye level.
(c) In addition, it is recommended that domestic legislation should provide that traffic light signals:
(i) Shall be so placed as not to impede vehicles moving in traffic on the carriageway and, in the case of signals set up on verges, as to impede pedestrians as little as possible;
(ii) Shall be easily visible from a distance and readily understandable as they are approached; and
(iii) Shall be standardized in the territory of each Contracting Party for the various categories of roads.
4. The lights of the three-colour and two-colour systems referred to in paragraphs 2 and 3 of this Article shall be arranged vertically or horizontally.
5. Where the lights are arranged vertically, the red light shall be placed uppermost; where the lights are arranged horizontally, the red light shall be placed on the side opposite to that appropriate to the direction of traffic.
6. In the three-colour system, the amber light shall be placed in the middle.
7. All the lights in the signals of the three-colour and two-colour systems referred to in paragraphs 2 and 3 of this Article shall be circular. The red flashing lights referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article shall likewise be circular.
8. A flashing amber light may be installed alone; such a light may also be used in place of a three-colour system at times when traffic is light.
9. In a three-colour system, the red, amber and green lights may be replaced by arrows of the same colour on a black background. When lighted up, these arrows have the same significance as the lights, but the prohibition or authorization is restricted to the direction or directions indicated by the arrow or arrows. Arrows signifying that traffic may or may not proceed straight ahead shall point upwards. Black arrows on a red, amber or green background may be used. These arrows have the same significance as the above-mentioned arrows.
10. Where a signal of a three-colour system includes one or more additional green lights showing one or more arrows, the lighting of such additional arrow or arrows shall, no matter what phase the three-colour system may be in at the time, mean that traffic may proceed in the direction or directions indicated by the arrow or arrows; it shall also mean that, when vehicles are in a lane reserved for traffic in the direction indicated by the arrow or the direction such traffic is required to take, their drivers must proceed in the direction indicated if by stopping they would obstruct the movement of vehicles behind them in the same lane, provided always that vehicles in the traffic stream they are joining must be allowed to pass and that pedestrians must not be endangered. These additional green lights should preferably be placed at the same level as the normal green light.
11. (a) Where green or red lights are placed above traffic lanes shown by longitudinal markings on a carriageway having more than two lanes, the red light shall mean that traffic may not proceed along the lane over which it is placed and the green light shall mean that traffic may so proceed. The red light thus placed shall be in the form of two inclined crossed bars and the green light in the form of an arrow pointing downwards.
(b) When the competent authorities judge it necessary to introduce an „intermediate” or „transition” signal for the light signals, it should be in the form of an amber or white arrow pointing diagonally downwards to the left or to the right, or two such arrows, one pointing in each direction; these arrows may be flashing. These amber or white arrows mean that the lane is about to be closed to traffic and that the road-users on that lane must move over to the lane indicated by the arrow.
12. Domestic legislation may provide for the installation at certain levelcrossings of a slow-flashing lunar white light meaning that traffic may proceed.
13. In cases where traffic light signals apply to cyclists only, this restriction may be clarified, if to do so is necessary in order to avoid confusion, by including the silhouette of a cycle in the signal itself or by using a signal of small size supplemented by a rectangular plate showing a cycle.
Article 24
Signals for pedestrians only
1. The only lights which may be used as light signals for pedestrians only are the following, which shall have the meanings here assigned to them:
(a) Non-flashing lights:
(i) A green light shall mean that pedestrians may cross;
(ii) An amber light shall mean that pedestrians may not cross, but that those already on the carriageway may continue to the other side;
(iii) A red light shall mean that pedestrians may not enter the carriageway;
(b) Flashing lights: a flashing green light shall mean that the period during which pedestrians may cross the carriageway is about to end and the red light is about to appear.
2. Light signals for pedestrians shall preferably be of the two-colour system, comprising two lights, red and green respectively; however, they may be of the three-colour system, comprising three lights, red, amber and green respectively. Two lights shall never be shown simultaneously.
3. The lights shall be arranged vertically, with the red light always at the top and the green light always at the bottom. The red light shall preferably be in the form of a standing pedestrian or of standing pedestrians and the green light in the form of a walking pedestrian or of walking pedestrians.
4. Light signals for pedestrians shall be so designed and arranged as to exclude any possibility of their being mistaken by drivers for light signals for vehicular traffic.
5. Light signals for pedestrians may be supplemented by audible or tactile signals at pedestrian crossings to facilitate crossings of the carriageway by blind pedestrians.
Chapter IV
ROAD MARKINGS
Article 25
Carriageway markings (road markings) shall be used, when the competent authority considers it necessary, to regulate traffic or to warn or guide road-users. They may be used either alone or in conjunction with other signs or signals to emphasize or clarify their meaning.
Article 26
1. A longitudinal marking consisting of a continuous line on the carriageway shall mean that vehicles are not permitted to cross or straddle that line and, when the line separates the two directions of traffic, that vehicles are not permitted to travel on that side of the line which, for the driver, is opposite to the edge of the carriageway appropriate to the direction of traffic. A longitudinal marking consisting of two continuous lines shall have the same meaning.
2. (a) A longitudinal marking consisting of a broken line on the carriageway shall not have a prohibitory meaning, but shall be used either:
(i) To demarcate lanes for the purpose of guiding traffic; or
(ii) To give warning of the approach to a continuous line and the prohibition that line conveys, or of the approach to another section of road presenting a particular danger.
(b) The ratio between the length of the gaps between the strokes and the length of the strokes shall be substantially smaller where broken lines are used for the purposes referred to in sub-paragraph (a)(ii) of this paragraph than where they are used for the purpose referred to in subparagraph (a)(i) thereto.
(c) Double broken lines may be used to delineate a lane or lanes in which the direction of the traffic flow may be reversed in conformity with Article 23, paragraph 11, of this Convention.
3. Where a longitudinal marking consists of a continuous line adjacent to a broken line on the carriageway, drivers shall take account only of the line that appears on their side. This provision shall not prevent drivers who have overtaken in the manner permitted from resuming their normal position on the carriageway.
4. For the purposes of this article, longitudinal lines used to mark the edges of the carriageway in order to make them more visible, longitudinal lines connected to transverse lines used to demarcate parking spaces on the carriageway, and longitudinal lines showing a prohibition or restrictions on standing or parking shall not be regarded as longitudinal markings.
Article 26 bis
1. The marking of lanes reserved for certain categories of vehicle shall be by means of lines which should be clearly distinguished from other continuous or broken lines on the carriageway, notably by being wider and with less space between strokes.
2. When a lane is reserved for regular public transport service vehicles the worded road marking shall be the word „BUS” or the letter „A”. The sign indicating such a line shall be of the square type described in annex 1, section E, or of the round type described in annex 1, section D, of the present Convention, showing the white symbol of a bus on a blue ground.
Diagrams 28/a and 28/b shown in annex 2 to this Convention are examples of markings for a lane reserved for regular public transport service vehicles.
3. Domestic legislation shall specify under what conditions other vehicles may use or go across the lane referred to in paragraph 1.
Article 27
1. A transverse marking consisting of a continuous line across one or more traffic lanes shall mark the line behind which drivers are required by the sign B,2, „STOP”, referred to in Article 10, paragraph 3, of this Convention, to stop. Such a marking may also be used to show the line behind which drivers may be required to stop by a light signal, or by a signal given by an authorized official directing traffic, or before a level-crossing. The word „STOP” may be marked on the carriageway in advance of the markings accompanying sign B,2.
2. Unless this is technically impossible; the transverse marking described in paragraph 1 of this Article shall be placed on the carriageway wherever a sign B,2, is set up.
3. A transverse marking consisting of a broken line across one or more traffic lanes shall show the line which vehicles may not normally pass when giving way in compliance with the sign B,1 „GIVE WAY”, referred to in Article 10, paragraph 2, of this Convention. In advance of such a marking, a triangle with broad sides, having one side parallel to the marking and the opposite vertex pointing towards approaching vehicles, may be marked on the carriageway to symbolize sign B,1.
4. To mark pedestrian crossings, relatively broad stripes, parallel to the axis of the carriageway, should preferably be used.
5. To mark cyclist crossings, either transverse lines, or other markings which cannot be confused with those of pedestrian crossings, shall be used.