CONVENTION ON ROAD SIGNS AND SIGNALS

 

The Contracting Parties, recognizing that international uniformity of road signs, signals and symbols and of road markings is necessary in order to facilitate international road traffic and to increase road safety, have agreed upon the following provisions:

 

Chapter V

 

MISCELLANEOUS

 

ARTICLE 31

Signs for road works

1. The limits of road works on the carriageway shall be clearly shown.

2. Where the extent of the road works and the volume of traffic justify it, the limits of the works shall be marked by setting up continuous or discontinuous barriers painted with alternate red and white, red and yellow, black and white, or black and yellow stripes, and in addition, at night, if the barriers are not reflectorized, by lights and reflecting devices. Reflecting devices and fixed lights used for this purpose shall be red or dark yellow and flashing lights shall be dark yellow. However:

(a) Lights and devices visible only to traffic moving in one direction and marking the limits of road works on the opposite side of the road from that traffic may be white;

(b) Lights and devices marking the limits of road works separating the two directions of traffic may be white or light yellow.

 

ARTICLE 32

Marking by lights or reflecting devices

Each Contracting Party shall adopt for the whole of its territory the same colour or the same system of colours for the lights or reflecting devices used to mark the edge of the carriageway.

 

LEVEL-CROSSINGS

 

ARTICLE 33

1. (a) Where a signaling system is installed at a level-crossing to give warning of the approach of trains or of the imminent closing of the gates (barriers) or half-gates (half-barriers), it shall consist of a red flashing light or of red lights flashing alternately, as specified in Article 23, paragraph 1(b), of this Convention. However:

(i) Flashing red lights may be supplemented or replaced by light signals of the three-colour red-amber-green system described in Article 23, paragraph 2, of this Convention, or by such a signal without the green light, if other three-colour light signals are installed on the road near the level-crossing or if the crossing is equipped with gates;

(ii) On earth-tracks (dirt roads) where traffic is very light and on footpaths, only a sound signal need be used.

(b) The light signals may be supplemented by a sound signal in all cases.

2. The light signals shall be installed on the edge of the carriageway appropriate to the direction of traffic; whenever conditions such as the visibility of the signals or the density of traffic so require, the lights shall be repeated on the other side of the road. However, if it is considered preferable because of local conditions, the lights may be repeated on an island in the middle of the carriageway, or placed above the carriageway.

3. In accordance with Article 10, paragraph 4, of this Convention, sign B, 2, "STOP", may be set up at a level-crossing which has neither gates, half-gates nor light signals giving warning of the approach of trains; at level-crossings where this sign is displayed, drivers shall stop at the stop line or, in the absence of such a line, level with the sign and not move off again until they have ascertained that no train is approaching.

 

ARTICLE 34

1. At level-crossings equipped with gates or staggered half-gates on either side of the railway line, the presence of such gates or half-gates across the road shall mean that no road-user may proceed beyond the nearest gate or half-gate; the movement of gates towards a position across the road and the movement of half-gates shall have the same meaning.

2. The showing of the red light or lights mentioned in Article 33, paragraph 1 sub-paragraph (a), of this Convention, or the operation of the sound signal mentioned in the said paragraph 1, shall likewise mean that no road-user may proceed beyond the stop line or, if there is no stop line, beyond the level of the signal. The showing of the amber light of the three-colour system mentioned in Article 33, paragraph 1 (a) (i), shall mean that no road-user may proceed beyond the stop line or, if there is no stop line, beyond the level of the signal, unless the vehicle concerned is so close to the signal when the amber light appears that it cannot safely be stopped before passing the signal.

 

ARTICLE 35

1. The gates and half-gates of level-crossings shall be clearly marked in alternate stripes of red and white, red and yellow, black and white, or black and yellow. They may, however, be coloured white or yellow only, provided that a large red disc is displayed at the centre.

2. At all level-crossings which have neither gates nor half-gates there shall be placed, in the immediate vicinity of the railway line, sign A, 28 as described in Annex 1, section A. If there is a light signal giving warning of the approach of trains or sign B, 2, "STOP", sign A, 28 shall be placed on the same support as the light signal or sign B, 2. Placing of sign A, 28 is not mandatory at:

(a) An intersection between a road and a railway track at which rail traffic proceeds very slowly and road traffic is regulated by a railwayman making the necessary hand signals; or

(b) An intersection between a railway track and either an earth-track (dirt road) where traffic is very light, or a footpath.

3. (Deleted)

 

ARTICLE 36

1. Because of the special danger presented by level-crossings, the Contracting Parties undertake:

(a) To have one of the danger warning signs bearing one of the symbols A, 25; A, 26 or A, 27 placed in advance of all level-crossings; however, no sign needs to be set up

(i) In special cases which may arise in built-up areas;

(ii) On earth-tracks (dirt roads) and paths where power-driven vehicular traffic is exceptional;

(b) To have all level-crossings equipped with gates or half-gates or with a signal giving warning of the approach of trains, unless road-users can see the railway line on both sides of the level-crossing for such a distance that, allowing for the maximum speed of the trains, the driver of a road vehicle approaching the railway line from either side has time to stop before proceeding on to the level-crossing if a train is in sight, and in addition that road-users who are already on the crossing when a train appears have time to reach the other side; however, it shall be open to the Contracting Parties to derogate from the provisions of this subparagraph at level-crossings where trains travel relatively slowly or power-driven vehicular traffic on the road is light;

(c) To have every level-crossing having gates or half-gates operated from a position from which such gates or half-gates cannot be seen equipped with one of the systems for signaling the approach of trains referred to in Article 33, paragraph 1, of this Convention;

(d) To have every level-crossing having gates or half-gates operated automatically by the approach of trains equipped with one of the systems for signaling the approach of trains referred to in Article 33, paragraph 1, of this Convention;

(e) In order to make gates and half-gates more visible, to have them equipped with reflecting material or reflecting devices and, if need be, to illuminate them at night; in addition, on roads where there is heavy motor traffic at night, to equip the danger warning signs installed in advance of the level-crossing with reflecting material or reflecting devices and, if need be, to illuminate them at night;

(f) Wherever possible, near level-crossings equipped with half-gates to have a longitudinal marking placed in the middle of the carriageway prohibiting vehicles which approach the level-crossing from encroaching on the half of the carriageway reserved for traffic in the opposite direction or even to install directional islands separating the two opposed streams of traffic.

2. The provisions of this Article shall not apply in the cases referred to in the last sentence of Article 35, paragraph 2, of this Convention.

 

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