I, the Minister for Local Government and Public Health, in exercise of the powers vested in me by paragraphs (b), (c), (d) and (e) of subsection (1) of section 36 of the Local Government Act, 1925 (in these regulations referred to as " The Act ") and by subsection (2) of the said section, and in exercise of all other powers enabling me in this behalf do hereby make the following regulations, that is to say :—

PRELIMINARY

Short title and interpretation.

1. (1) These regulations may be cited as the " Road Signs and Traffic Signals Regulations, 1926."

(2). In these Regulations, save where the context otherwise requires the expression " Direction Sign," means a sign erected for the purpose of indicating either,

(a) the places to which a road leads and the distances thereto, or

(b) the distances on the road :

the expression " Warning Sign " means a sign erected for the purpose of either,

(a) warning persons using a road of dangerous portions thereof, or

(b) guiding traffic on a road with a view to minimising the risk of accidents.

The expression " The route letter and number " of a road means the route letter and number assigned to the route comprising such road by the Minister in any classification of roads made by him under subsection (2) of Section 17 of the Ministry of Transport Act, 1919 :

The expression " the terminal points " of a road means the two extremities of any route comprising such road in any such classification of roads as aforesaid :

Other expressions have the same meaning as in the Act, save that where no order of the Minister declaring any road in a county to be a main road is in force, the regulations shall apply to such county as if the expression " Main Road " included a road classified in any such classification of roads as a " Trunk " or " Link " Road.

PART I Direction Signs

Direction signs to be erected at certain places.

2. (1) The council charged with the maintenance of any main road shall erect a direction sign on or adjoining to the road at the following places, that is to say :—

(a) Where the road joins any other road ;

(b) Within half a mile in each direction of any town on the road ;

(c) At such other places as the council think advisable having regard to the distance between direction signs erected under paragraphs (a) and (b) and the needs of persons using the road.

(2) The direction signs erected under this Article shall indicate the following matters, that is to say :—

(a) The route letter and number of the road ;

(b) The terminal points of the road and the distance thereto ;

(d ) Any other town or place to which the road leads in either direction which, by reason of its importance or peculiar interest, the council considers should be so indicated, and the distance thereto.

(3) The direction sign erected under this article at a point where two or more main roads meet shall indicate all the matters required by the last preceding paragraph to be indicated in respect of each such road.

(4) The direction sign erected under this Article at a point where a main road meets another road, not being a main road, shall indicate in addition to the matters specified above the more important towns or places to which such latter road leads.

Frontiers.

3. Where a road crosses the frontier the approach to the frontier shall be indicated by a direction sign to be erected by the council charged with the maintenance of such road at a point one quarter of a mile from the frontier. Such direction sign shall also indicate whether traffic is permitted to cross the frontier on such road.

Customs.

4. Where a road leads to a customs station at a frontier the approach to such station shall be indicated by means of a direction sign to be erected by the council charged with the maintenance of the road one quarter of a mile from such station.

Construction of direction signs.

5. (1) A direction sign shall consist of rectangular arms attached to a post. The name of every town or place to be indicated by the sign shall appear on an arm pointing in the direction along the road to be taken by traffic proceeding to such town or place, and for that purpose a sufficient number of arms shall be provided.

(2). The arms of a direction sign shall be constructed of metal enamelled in yellow and the matters or figures to be indicated by the sign shall appear on the sign in letters or figures of black enamel.

(3). The lower edge of the lowest arm of a direction sign shall be not less than eight feet or more than nine feet above the level of the road.

(4). Where more than one arm of a direction sign points in the same direction, the arm on which appears the name of the nearest town or place shall be at the highest level.

(5). The arms of a direction sign shall be of such dimensions as will enable the matters indicated thereon to appear in accordance with these regulations.

(6). Where special circumstances make it difficult or undesirable to attach the arms of a direction sign to a post, such arms may be attached to a wall adjoining the road. The provisions of these Regulations in regard to the height and position of the arms of a direction sign and the method of indicating matters thereon shall apply in such a case with such modification as may be necessary.

(7). The post for a direction sign shall be constructed of iorn or concrete or partly of iron and partly of concrete. If the sign indicates the approach to a frontier or customs station the post shall be coloured blue and white in alternate spiral bands. In every other case the post shall be coloured black and white in alternate horizontal bands. The bands of colour shall be not less than nine inches or more than twelve inches wide.

Method of indicating matters on direction signs.

6. The various prescribed matters shall be indicated on the arm of a direction sign in accordance with the following rules, that is to say :—

(1). All letters and figures shall be composed of lines at least half an inch broad. At least half an inch space shall be left clear between every two letters or figures on the same line.

(2). Figures indicating distances (other than fractions) shall be four inches in height. Other letters or figures on an arm bearing not less than four lines of words shall be not less than two inches in height, and on any other arm shall be not less than two and a half inches in height.

(3). A clear margin at least half an inch broad shall be left at each edge of the arm.

(4). The route letter and the number of the road shall be shown on each arm on the portion of the arm furthest from the post in such a manner that a clear interval at least one inch broad is left on the side of such letter or number nearest to the post.

(5). Names of towns or places, or other words shall be shown in Irish and English in two parallel lines at least three quarters of an inch apart.

(6). The distance to any town or place, in miles to the nearest quarter mile, shall be shown in figures on the right-hand side of the Irish and English names of such town or place, at a level midway between the levels of such names, and in such a manner as to leave between such names and such figures a clear interval at least one inch broad.

(7). The matters indicated on the arm of a direction sign at the junction of two or more roads shall appear on each side of such arm which is visible from any portion of such roads

(8). A direction sign shall indicate the approach to a frontier or a customs station on a separate arm, in the same manner as the name of any place to which the road leads, and the distance thereto is to be indicated.

Whether traffic is or is not permitted to cross the frontier on the road shall be indicated on such separate arm by the words "approved road," or " unapproved road," as the case may require.

Position of direction signs.

7. A direction sign, on any road, so far as may be possible, shall be erected at such a point and in such a manner that the names of any town or place shown thereon shall be visible to persons on the road proceeding to such town or place. For this purpose the arms indicating points on a road shall be inclined at an angle of fifteen degrees to such road, and the arms of the sign shall be placed at different levels where necessary.

PART II Warning Signs

Warning signs to indicate dangerous portions of roads.

8. Whenever the council charged with the maintenance of a road consider that any portion thereof is especially dangerous, that such danger is not sufficiently apparent to persons approaching such portion, and that such danger can be diminished by the erection on or adjoining to the road of a sign or signs indicating the existence of danger generally, or the nature of the danger, or both, such council shall erect such warning sign or signs, in accordance with these regulations as they think best for the purpose.

Warning signs to indicate special restrictions on motor traffic.

9. Whenever by regulation or order made under any enactment the driving of mechanically propelled vehicles, or any class thereof, is prohibited or restricted, or a special speed limit imposed for such vehicles or any such class on any portion of a road, the council charged with the maintenance of the road shall erect warning signs for the purpose of notifying drivers of vehicles about to pass over such portion of the road of such prohibition, restriction, or speed limit as the case may be.

Size, shape, colour and character of warning signs.

10. (1) A warning sign shall consist of a rectangular notice plate of cast iron or aluminium painted white attached to a post, with or without a geometrical figure (in these Regulations referred to as a " Warning figure ") of the same material, painted red, and attached to the top of such post above such notice plate.

(2). Where a warning figure is included in a warning sign the distance between the lowest point of such warning figure and the higher edge of the notice plate shall be six inches.

(3). A red reflector shall be affixed to the top of the post of a warning sign and may be combined with the warning figure where a warning figure is used.

(4). The notice plate and warning figure for a warning sign shall be attached to the post in such a manner that the lowest edge of the notice plate or, where there is no notice plate, of the warning figure, shall be not less than six feet, nine inches, or more than seven feet, three inches above the level of the surface of the road.

(5). The notice plate of a warning sign shall be of such dimensions as will permit of the matters to be indicated thereon, being so indicated in accordance with these Regulations.

(6). Where special circumstances make it difficult or undesirable to attach the notice plate and warning figure for a warning sign to a post, such plate and figure may be attached to a wall adjoining the road. The provisions of these Regulations in regard to the height and position of such a plate or figure and the method of indicating matters thereon shall apply in such a case with such modifications as may be necessary.

(7). The post for a warning sign shall be of iron, or concrete, or partly of iron and partly of concrete. Such a post shall be coloured black and white in alternate horizontal bands. The width of such bands shall be not less than nine inches or more than twelve inches

Method of indicating matters on a warning sign.

11. With regard to the method of indicating the prescribed matters on a warning sign the following provisions shall have effect, that is to say :—

(1) The existence of danger generally, or of a special prohibition or restriction on the driving of mechanically propelled vehicles or any class thereof, or of a special speed limit for such vehicles or any class of such vehicles shall be indicated by means of the warning figure prescribed for the purpose and set forth in the first schedule to these regulations.

(2) The nature of any danger, or the extent of any such prohibition or restriction, or the effect of any such speed limit shall be indicated in red letters or symbols on the notice plate.

(3) Where the notice plate indicates the nature of any of the dangers specified in the second schedule to those regulations it shall conform with the diagram prescribed as indicating such danger and set forth in the said second schedule.

Positions of warning signs.

12. (1) A warning sign shall be placed at least one hundred and fifty yards from the portion of the road where the danger it indicates exists or where the special prohibition, restriction or speed limit it indicates is in force, as the case may be. The sign shall b placed so as to face persons approaching such portion and so as to be on the left hand side of the road for such persons.

(2) A warning sign shall be erected at such a point and in such a manner that the warning figure and notice plate, and as much as possible of the post, shall be visible from the road and as conspicuous as circumstances permit.

PART III Erection of Road Signs on Land adjoining a Road

Private signs.

13. No direction or warning sign shall be erected or retained on land adjoining a road by the owner or occupier thereof unless the following conditions are complied with, that is to say:—

(1) All the information afforded or indicated by such sign must be correct.

(2) In the case of a sign erected before the date when these regulations come into force, details (with diagrams and photographs if necessary) of such sign and of the point where it is erected must be notified to the council charged with the maintenance of the road within two months of such date.

(3) In the case of a sign erected after such date the details required by the preceding condition must be notified to such council at least one month before such erection is begun.

(4) The words " Private Sign " in letters three inches high, must be shown immediately above or below the notice appearing on such sign, and in such a manner as to be easily visible to persons using the road

(5) Such a sign must be uniform in its size, colour and character with the provisions of those regulations in respect of direction signs or warning signs where such provisions are applicable.

Road signs erected on land adjoining a road without owner's consent.

14. Where the erection on a road of a direction or warning sign is impossible, or would not fulfil the purpose of such sign, or where such a sign would be of substantially greater utility if erected on land adjoining the road, the council charged with the maintenance of such road, with the consent of the Minister, may erect such sign on such land, after fourteen days' notice to the owner and occupier of such land, but without the consent of such owner and occupier. Provided that the Minister shall not give his consent to the erection of any sign on such land unless and until he has notified the owner and occupier thereof that such consent has been applied for, and has considered any representations which such owner or occupier may make to him within fourteen days of the receipt by such owner or occupier of such notification.

PART IV Traffic Signals

Traffic signals to be used.

15. The signals by which drivers of horse-drawn or mechanically propelled vehicles and riders of bicycles on a road can indicate to other persons using the road their intention to drive or ride such vehicle or bicycle in any of the ways specified in column I of the Third Schedule to these Regulations shall be those set forth for the purpose in Column II of the said schedule.

The signals set forth in the said schedule to be made by the arm and hand may, if so desired, be made by means of a mechanically operated arm attached to the vehicle for the purpose.

Given under the Seal of Office of the Minister for Local Government and Public Health this Eighteenth day of September in the Year of Our Lord One Thousand Nine Hundred and Twenty-six.

(Signed) E. P. McCARRON,

Secretary,

Department of Local Government and Public Health

FIRST SCHEDULE

Special Warning Figures for Warning Signs. (Article 11 (1) )

1. To indicate danger generally :—A hollow red equilateral triangle, the sides of which are three inches in breadth and eighteen inches in length measured on the outside.

2. To indicate a special prohibition or restriction on the driving of mechanically propelled vehicles or any class thereof :—A solid red disc eighteen inches in diameter.

3. To indicate a special speed limit for mechanically propelled vehicles or any class thereof:—A red ring eighteen inches in diameter, and three inches in breadth.

SECOND SCHEDULE

Symbols for Notice of Warning Signs. (Article 11 (3) )

THIRD SCHEDULE

Traffic Signals. (Article 15.)

COLUMN I	COLUMN II
	Signals to be used
Action to be indicated	By a driver of a horse-drawn vehicle who carries a whip	By any other driver of a vehicle or by a rider of a bicycle
Stopping the vehicle or bicycle	Extend right arm and whip vertically up-wards.	Extend right arm and hand vertically up-wards, with palm turned to the front.
Turning to the right	Extend right arm and whip vertically up-wards, rotate whip round head and point to right.	Extend right arm and hand horizontally from the offside of the vehicle or bicycle with palm turned to the front.
Turning to the left	Extend right arm and whip vertically up-wards, rotate whip round head and point to left.	Either—Extend left arm and hand horizontally with palm turned to the front, or—Extend right arm and hand horizontally from the offside of the vehicle or bicycle and carry hand to left shoulder in a circular sweep.
Decreasing the speed	Extend right arm and whip horizontally in line with right shoulder and move whip slowly up and down.	Extend right arm and hand horizontally from the offside of the vehicle or bicycle with the palm turned down, and move hand slowly up and down.
Continuing in the same direction at cross-roads	Extend right arm and whip forward.	Extend right arm and hand forward.

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	Irish Statutory Instruments
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Irish Statutory Instruments

S.I. No. 55/1926 -- Road Signs and Traffic Signals Regulations, 1926.