Convention on Road Sings and Signals
ANNEXES
Annex 1
ROAD SIGNS
Section E
SPECIAL REGULATION SIGNS
I. General characteristics and symbols
Special regulation signs are usually square or rectangular with a blue ground and a light coloured symbol or inscription, or with a light coloured ground and a dark coloured symbol or inscription.
II. Descriptions
1. Signs indicating a regulation or danger warning applying to one or more traffic lanes
Signs such as those given below shall mean that a regulation or danger warning applies only to one or more lanes, defined by longitudinal lane markings, on a multi-lane carriageway for traffic moving in the same direction. They may also indicate lanes allocated to oncoming traffic. The sign relating to the regulation or danger warning shall be shown on each of the arrows concerned:
(i) E, 1a "COMPULSORY MINIMUM SPEED APPLYING TO DIFFERENT LANES".
(ii) E, 1b "COMPULSORY MINIMUM SPEED APPLYING TO ONE LANE". This sign may be used as way of creating a "slow lane".
(iii) E, 1c "SPEED LIMITS APPLYING TO DIFFERENT LANES". Borders of the circles shall be red and letters black.
2. Signs indicating lanes reserved for buses
Signs such as E, 2a and E, 2b are examples of signs showing the position of the lane reserved for buses in accordance with Article 26-bis, paragraph 2.
3. "ONE-WAY" sign
(a) Two different "ONE-WAY" signs may be set up where it is necessary to indicate a road or carriageway which is one-way:
(i) Sign E, 3a placed approximately perpendicular to the axis of the carriageway; its panel shall be square.
(ii) Sign E, 3b placed approximately parallel to the axis of the carriageway; its panel shall be an elongated rectangle the long side of which is horizontal. The words "one way" may be inscribed on the arrow of sign E, 3b in the national language or one of the national languages of the country concerned.
(b) Signs E, 3a and E, 3b may be set up irrespective of whether prohibitory or mandatory signs are set up at the entrance to the road in question.
4. Preselection sign
Example of sign for preselection at intersections on roads with several lanes: E, 4.
5. Signs notifying an entry to or an exit from a motorway
(a) Sign E, 5a, "MOTORWAY", shall be placed at the point where the special rules to be observed on a motorway begin to apply.
(b) Sign E, 5b, "END OF MOTORWAY", shall be placed at the point where those rules cease to apply.
(c) Sign E, 5b may also be used and repeated to give warning of the ending of a motorway; the distance between each sign set up for this purpose and the end of the motorway shall be inscribed on the lower part of the sign.
(d) These signs shall have blue or green ground.
6. Signs notifying an entry to or exit from a road on which the traffic rules are the same as on a motorway
(a) Sign E, 6a, "ROAD FOR MOTOR VEHICLES", shall be placed at the point where special traffic rules begin to apply on roads other than motorways which are reserved for motor vehicle traffic and do not serve properties bordering on the road. An additional panel may be placed under sign E, 6 a to show that, by way of exception, the access of motor vehicles to properties bordering on the road is permitted.
(b) Sign E, 6b, "END OF ROAD FOR MOTOR VEHICLES", may also be used and repeated to give warning of the ending of the road; the distance between each sign set up for this purpose and the end of the road shall be inscribed on the lower part of the sign.
(c) These signs shall have blue or green ground.
7. Signs indicating the beginning and the end of a built-up area
(a) The sign to indicate the beginning of a built-up area shall bear the name of the built-up area or the symbol showing the silhouette of a builtnup area or the two combined. Signs E, 7a; E, 7b; E, 7c and E, 7d are examples of signs showing the beginning of a built-up area.
(b) The sign showing the end of a built-up area shall be identical except that it shall be crossed by an oblique bar coloured red or consisting of parallel lines coloured red running from the upper right edge to the lower left edge. Signs E, 8a; E, 8b; E, 8c and E, 8d are examples of signs indicating the end of a built-up area.
Notwithstanding the provisions of Article 6, paragraph 1 of this Convention these signs may be placed on the reverse side of signs identifying a built-up area.
(c) The signs covered by this paragraph shall be used in conformity with the provisions of the Convention, Article 13-bis, paragraph 2.
8. Signs having zonal validity
(a) Beginning of a zone
(i) To indicate that a sign applies to all roads in a zone (zonal validity), the sign shall be displayed on a rectangular panel with a light-coloured ground. The word "ZONE" or its equivalent in the national language may be displayed above or below the sign on the panel. Specific details of the restrictions, prohibitions or obligations indicated by the sign may be given below the sign on the panel or on an additional panel.
Signs applying to all roads in a zone (zonal validity) shall be set up at all roads giving access to the zone concerned. The zone preferably should only include roads which have similar characteristics.
(ii) Signs E, 9a; E, 9b; E, 9c and E, 9d are examples of signs applying to all roads in a zone (zonal validity):
E, 9a - Zone in which parking is prohibited;
E, 9b - Zone in which parking is prohibited at certain times;
E, 9c - Parking zone;
E, 9d - Maximum speed zone.
(b) Exit from a zone
(i) To indicate the exit from a zone in which a sign has zonal validity, the same sign displayed on a rectangular panel shall be set up as that placed at the entry to the zone but it shall be grey on a rectangular panel with a light coloured ground. A black or dark grey diagonal band or parallel grey or black lines forming such a band shall slope downwards across the sign from right to left.
Signs indicating the exit from a zone shall be set up on all roads which may be used to leave that zone.
(ii) Signs E, 10a; E, 10c and E, 10d are examples of signs indicating the exit from a zone in which a sign applies to all roads (zonal validity):
E, 10a - End of zone in which parking is prohibited;
E, 10b - End of zone in which parking is prohibited at certain times;
E, 10c - End of parking zone;
E, 10d - End of maximum speed zone.
9. Signs notifying the entry to or exit from a tunnel where special rules apply
(a) Sign E, 11a "TUNNEL" may be used, and repeated, to indicate the approach to a tunnel; each sign set up for this purpose shall carry either an inscription in its lower part showing the distance between the sign and the beginning of the tunnel where the special rules apply, or an additional panel H, 1 described in section H of this annex.
The name of the tunnel and its length may also be inscribed on the panel.
(b) Sign E, 11b "END OF TUNNEL" may be placed at the point from which the special rules no longer apply.
10. "PEDESTRIAN CROSSING" sign
(a) Sign E, 12a, "PEDESTRIAN CROSSING", is used to show pedestrians and drivers the position of a pedestrian crossing. The ground of the panel shall be blue or black, the triangle white or yellow and the symbol black or dark blue; the symbol displayed shall be symbol A, 12.
(b) However, the sign E, 12b, having the shape of an irregular pentagon, a blue ground and a white symbol or the sign E, 12c, having a dark ground and white symbol may also be used.
11. "HOSPITAL" sign
(a) This sign shall be used to notify drivers of vehicles that they should take the precautions required near medical establishments; in particular, that they should not make any unnecessary noise. There are two models of this sign: E, 13a and E, 13b.
(b) The red cross on sign E, 13b may be replaced by one of the symbols referred to in section F, subsection II, paragraph 1.
12. "PARKING" sign
(a) Sign E, 14a, "PARKING", which may be set up parallel to the axis of the road, shall indicate places where the parking of vehicles is authorized. The panel shall be square. It shall bear the letter or ideogram used in the State concerned to denote "Parking". The ground of this sign shall be blue.
(b) The direction in which the parking place lies or the categories of vehicle for which it is reserved may be shown on the sign itself or on an additional panel below the sign. Such inscriptions may also limit the period for which parking is permitted or indicate that public transport is accessible from the parking place by means of a "+ sign" followed by an indication of the type of transport, in word or symbol form.
Signs E, 14b and E, 14c are examples of the signs which may be used to indicate a car park more particularly intended for vehicles whose drivers wish to use a means of public transport.
13. Signs notifying a bus or tramway stop
E, 15 "BUS. STOP" and E, 16 "TRAMWAY STOP".