Principle 1: Legibility

24 October - 30 October

• Legibility: Road Signs

The information given whilst driving ultimately affects the safety of our roads and motorways in this modern day and age. Road signs that inform road users when there are up and coming hazards, when to take a turn, and if any roadworks are in progress. All of these visuals are examples of information systems design.

Lets go back to the late 1950's when the UK's roads were littered with an array of transport sign styles, each one being commisioned by different agencies at alternate times. There needed to be some kind of consistency

The government comissioned two graphic designers- Margaret Calvert and Jock Kinneir, they were commisioned to create a modern and completey new sign system. At this particular time  it was to be one of the most adventurous information design projects to ever be undertaken in Britain.

To keep consistency Calvert, working with Kinneir, devised a scheme of modern day road signage. It was a concoxion of shapes, symbols, letterforms and colours. The idea logic behind this revolutionary system was that each sign should be a clear visible, logical map orientated soley around the drivers circumstances.

Margaret Calvert believed that the most important factor of the signage was that it could be claryfied by the motorist easily whilst retaining impact value. Aswel as these factors, Maragret Calvert insisted that signs should be welcoming and friendly towards motorists. A new typeface was created in order to succeed in the 'friendly approach'. The typeface Aksidenz Grotesk was refined with softer line structure. This font was later renamed ' Transport' and engaged both upper and lower case lettering. Originally all road signs were in capital fonts but specialist testing revealed that letters can be more efficiently read when in lower case as they contain more structure than a capital letter with rigid straight linear structure.   



Transport Typeface
Easily Distinguishable

This new approach with a more apealing presentation compared to the older system engaged with the driver more visibly and all sizes, fonts, colours and distances are considered in modern day signage to engage with the motorists eye efficently. The whole thing worked due to the clarity and consistency of these signs:
-Motoway Signs - White text on blue background
-Main Road Signs - White text on green background
-Minor Road Signs - Black text on white background

These are all legible colour systems as they have the highest contrast of colour, asopposed to say yellow text on a white background.
Shapes are eaily defined within a split second of judgement with the European standard consisting of
-Triangle - Warning
-Circle - Issue Instructions
-Rectangle - Carries Information

The road markings on the road themselves also playing a vital part in navigtional aid, again different colours to represent different communications. I work part time as a TMO (traffic management officer) and often work beside the people who lay these line. The paint is mixed to a high temperature before being applied by a special ladel inorder to get the right designs. Most of the guys i have morked with have a very strong attention to detail, they dont tend to copy an image, they work straight onto the road from memory. Quite amazing actually, some of the systems in place

Now that's what you call REAL street art!

24 October - 30 October

• Principle 1 - Legibility: Road Signs