Worboys Committee

The first moves to a new signage system was prompted by the first motorways. Flaws of existing signs had already been observed with drivers at speed struggling to interpret them. New signs were needed in 1958 for the opening of the Preston By-pass, the first motorway. A separate committee, known as the 'Anderson Committee', was assembled in 1957 to design signage.[2] The committee took inspiration from the United States and Germany who were designing their own motorways and signage to go with them. Two graphic designers were commissioned to design the system of signage: Jock Kinneir and his assistant (and later business partner) Margaret Calvert.

Two articles were published in 1961 by graphic designer Herbert Spencer, illustrating the shortcomings of non-motorway British road signs.[3] The committee was created, chaired by Sir Walter Worboys of ICI.[4] T. G. Usborne of the Ministry of Transport had charge of proceedings, and Jock Kinneir and his assistant (and later business partner) Margaret Calvert were again commissioned as designers.[3]

In 1963, the committee released Traffic signs: report of the committee on traffic signs for all-purpose roads, which completely revised road signs in Britain, with an emphases on symbols alone and adopting standard colour and shape practices used in mainland Europe, adoption of a new typeface that had already been used on the motorway signs, called Transport. On 1 January 1965, the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions (TSRGD), the legal framework for road signs in Britain, was revised to adopt the proposed changes in the report.[3]

The report found eight primary flaws in the United Kingdom's traffic signage.

(a) roadside signs are too small to be readily recognisable as such and to be easily read by drivers travelling at the normal speed of traffic;

(b) they do not have a simple, integrated appearance;
(c) the more important signs are not readily distinguishable from the less important at long range;
(d) they are often not effective at night;
(e) they are different from those used on the continent of Europe and only those who can read English can fully understand them;
(f) they are often mounted too high, particularly in rural areas;
(g) they are often badly sited in relation to junctions; and

(h) there is insufficient continuity of place names on directional signs.

— Worboys Committee, Traffic signs: report of the committee on traffic signs for all-purpose roads (1963)[5]

Most pre-Worboys signs consisted of two signs: the top one was one of four designs, a red 'triangle', 'disk', 'ring' or 'triangle in ring' that identified the sign's type; the second lower sign identified the hazard or restriction. The lower sign was approximately 1 foot 9 inches (21 in; 530 mm) tall and approximately 1–2 feet (12–24 in; 300–610 mm) wide. The majority also lacked any larger dimensions for use on higher-speed roads. The new Worboys designs for warning signs had a minimum height of 24 inches (610 mm), and three additional sizes:30 inches (2 ft 6 in; 760 mm), 48 inches (4 ft 0 in; 1,200 mm), 72 inches (6 ft 0 in; 1,800 mm)[lower-alpha 1] for higher-speed roads or special situations that warranted a larger sign. Regulatory signs were 24 inches (610 mm), and greatly simplified through use of symbols eliminating wordy signs .[lower-alpha 2][6]

The report found existing road signs to be completely obsolete relative to increasing numbers of motor vehicles and motor vehicle speeds and made over a dozen key recommendations:[5]

• Letters sizes should be increased compared to existing signs and up to 10 inches (250 mm) on high-speed roads. Letters should also be Sentence case, not in all capital letters.
• Signs should reflect the design of traffic signs used in the rest of Europe, with an emphasis on using symbols and the shape of sign to convey the message, not words. Further, doing away with the previous standard sign designs consisting of two separate signs to form a complete sign.
• Provision of Give way and stop signs at junctions on minor roads when they meet primary routes.
• More usage of sign illumination, and improvements to existing standards and increased use of Cat's eyes (roadway reflectors).
• Uniformity in the deployment and use of traffic signs.
• Clearer marking of primary routes, through use of colour coded signs to aid drivers in identifying them if they are unfamiliar with an area.
• Direction signs should be colour coded, with primary routes having green signs with white words and yellow route numbers. Non-priority roads should be black and white.

The report suggested approximately 136 signs [lower-alpha 3] The designs proposed in the report were received further revisions before the 1964 TSRGD, as the proposed prohibited signs featured a 'slash' on signs like 'Buses prohibited', 'All motor vehicles prohibited'; a minimum speed limit sign that was not included; a rectangular 'Pass either side' sign; and the designs of symbols, like 'telephone' and 'opening bridge ahead'.

Examples of Pre- and Post-Worboys Committee traffic signs[7][6]

Pre-Worboys sign	Type of sign	Meaning	Sign number[lower-alpha 4]	Worboys Committee sign
	Warning	Cross roads ahead	504
	Warning	Ford (water crossing)	554
	Warning	Road works ahead	564
	Regulatory	No Entry	616
	Regulatory	No right turn	612
	Regulatory	Turn left	609
	Regulatory	Keep to left	610
	Direction	Approach direction sign for a junction where two Class 1 (A-roads) roads cross.	704
	Direction	A direction sign used at junctions, indicating route numbers and primary destinations.	713	(Primary route) (Non-primary route)

In 1962, the Anderson Committee published Motorway Signs: Final Report of Advisory Committee for Traffic Signs on Motorways which laid out their designs for motorway signage.[8]

Ultimately, motorway directional and informational signs were included in the 1964 TSRGD. The warning and most regulatory signs proposed in the final Anderson report were not adopted for use,[lower-alpha 5] and the designs proposed in the Worboys report were used instead in future motorway projects.[6]

A major review of the direction signing system conducted in the late 1980s found effectively no problems with the Worboys system. This review could only recommend the introduction of white-on-brown tourist signing and a few other minor changes. "Worboys was a world leader in good signing practice".[9]

• Transport (typeface) – proposed by the report and still used in Britain for road signs
• Road signs in the United Kingdom

• Media related to Diagrams of pre-Worboys road signs of the United Kingdom at Wikimedia Commons
• The Worboys Report at Roads.org.uk
• Traffic signs: report of the committee on traffic signs for all-purpose roads – a copy of the 1963 report, at the Internet Archive
• Motorway Signs: Final Report of Advisory Committee for Traffic Signs on Motorways - a similar 1962 report for motorway signage, some of which was adopted by Traffic Signs report, at the Internet Archive