# Traffic Signs Manual/Chapter 5/2009/18

18.1 The general principles for signing and marking tramways are set out in HM Railway Inspectorate's "Railway Safety Principles and Guidance, Part 2, Section G, Guidance on Tramways" published by the Health and Safety Executive (ISBN 0-7176-0951-0). The following paragraphs give more detailed guidance on the use of road markings for street-running tramways. Early contact should be made with the Inspectorate to discuss design issues.
18.2 Tramways may be categorised as follows:
(i)integrated on-street tramways (see para 18.3) where the part of the highway occupied by the rails may be used by other vehicles or by pedestrians,
(ii) tram gates (see para 18.4), where only trams (and buses if permitted) travel along a short length of road that precedes an integrated on-street system,
(iii) segregated on-street tramways or tram-only streets (see paras 18.5 and 18.6) where the part of the highway occupied by rails may be crossed by pedestrians, but is not normally shared with other road users, or
(iv) off-street tramways (see para 18.7 to 18.10) where the alignment of the track is wholly separate from the highway.
INTEGRATED TRAMWAYS
18.3 Markings are used at junctions (see paras 18.11 to 18.15), at tram stops (see para 18.16 to 18.18) and to indicate the swept path of trams (see paras 18.19 to 18.23).
TRAM GATES
18.4 Access to an integrated route may be controlled by tram gates. These allow the passage of trams (and buses if permitted) using vertical signing to diagrams 953.1 and 953.2 in conjunction with the marking to diagram 1048.2 TRAM ONLY or TRAN & BUS ONLY (see figure 18-1 and para 18.6). Although only these vehicles are allowed to pass through the gate,, otheer vehicles may be encountered in the road ahead.
SEGREGATED TRAMWAYS
18.5 These may take the form of either a road that is reserved for trams only, or one in which other vehicles are allowed, but are physically separated from the tram route. In each case, buses may also be permitted to use the facility. No markings are currently prescribed for tram lanes and they would need to be specially authorised (see para 2.1).
​18.6 The worded marking to diagram 1048.2 TRAM ONLY or TRAM & BUS ONLY should be laid at the commencement of a segregated length of tramway and after any break where a road crosses the tramway. The marking should be laid so that no part of the lettering is on the running or check rails of the tram track. It should be arranged so that the words "TRAM"” and "ONLY" are centred on the tracks with the first and last letters outside the running rails. The ampersand "&" is centred between the running rails and "BUS" needs to be offset, with the first letter outside the left hand running rail and the other two letters between the check rails (see figure 18-1).
OFF-STREET TRAMWAYS
18.7 Where a tramway diverges from an integrated system at a shallow angle onto a reserved length of track or to a tram stop, particular care needs to be taken to ensure that other drivers do not follow the tracks; this is particularly hazardous where it is the road that deviates leaving the tracks to carry straight on. Road markings are essential, in addition to appropriate vertical signing.
18.8 An edge line to diagram 1012.1 (see figure 18-2 and paras 4.31 to 4.38) should be provided, following the edge of the main carriageway at an angle across the tram tracks. The line should be discontinued where it crosses the running and check rails, but resumed in the space between the rails. This line should be supplemented by reflecting road studs of the appropriate colour (see para 6.9). Any stud laid within 2m of the running rail should be of plastic construction. Physical measures to dissuade other vehicles from being driven along the tram track are recommended, e.g. the edge line may be supplemented by a low kerb painted alternately black and white, or by hostile paving.
18.9 Warning lines to diagrams 1004 or 1004.1 (see paras 4.12 to 4.26) should be laid in the centre of a single carriageway road, and in place of lane lines on multi-lane carriageways, following the line of the main carriageway.
Table 18-1 Arrow size and location :
| Speed limit (mph) | Arrow length (m) | Distance from point of divergence (m) | Distance from point of divergence (m) | Distance from point of divergence (m) |
| Arrow number |||
| Speed limit (mph) | Arrow length (m) | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 30 | 4.5 (4) | 40.5 | 13.5 | 0 |
| 40 | 4.5 (4) | 54.0 | 18.0 | 0 |
| 50 | 6 | 67.5 | 22.5 | 0 |
| 60 | 6 | 81.0 | 27.0 | 0 |
| 70 | 9 | 94.5 | 31.5 | 0 |
NOTE: The smallest arrows to diagram 1014 and 1038 are 4.5 m and 4 m long respectively.
Table 18-2 Arrow type :
| Description of divergence | Figure | Arrow Type. | Arrow Type. | Arrow Type. |
| Arrow Number. |||
| Description of divergence | Figure | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Tracks diverge from road | 18-2a and 2b | 1038 | 1038 | 1038 |
| Road diverges to the left | 18-2c | 1014 | 1014 | 1014 |
| Road diverges to the right | 18-2d | 1014 | 1014 | 1038 |
ROAD JUNCTIONS
18.11 Where a road is crossed by a segregated tramway which operates as a signalled railway, the junction should be signed and marked in the same way as a railway level crossing (see section 19) using the appropriate vertical tram signs.
18.12 Junctions with heavy traffic flows or restricted visibility (including those which would normally be signed with the diagram 601.1 STOP sign) should be controlled by traffic signals with the special white signals for tramcars (diagram 3013). Where the route is for tramcars only, the transverse tram Stop line to diagram 1001.1 (see figure 18-3) should be provided at right angles to the tracks, positioned a minimum of 1.5 m before the primary tram signal (2.5 m where practicable). If trams are running with other vehicles but not segregated from them with a physical refuge, the Stop line to diagram 1001 should be used from the kerb to the centre line. The tram Stop line may be used in addition, either just in front of or just beyond the Stop line; this might be necessary to facilitate swept paths or where primary tram and other traffic signals are not co-located. If the tram route is segregated from other traffic by a refuge, the respective Stop line is used on each side.
18.13 At priority junctions, roads carrying tramways should always be treated as the major road. Where the minor road would normally be provided with a vertical GIVE WAY sign (diagram 602), as well as the Give Way road markings (diagrams 1003 and 1023, see paras 3.14 to 3.23), this should be replaced with a STOP sign (diagram 601.1) and transverse Stop line (diagram 1002.1). The use of the STOP sign requires site approval by the Secretary of State (see para 2.1). At all other junctions with a road carrying a tramway, the minor road should have the transverse Give Way line (diagram 1003), the triangular marking (diagram 1023) and a GIVE WAY sign (diagram 602).
18.14 All transverse markings on roads joining a tram route should be placed outside the swept path of the tramcars (see paras 18.19 to 18.23).
18.15 Where yellow box markings (diagrams 1043 or 1044) are laid at a junction in accordance with the guidance in section 12, the yellow marking should not be laid on the running rails or check rails of the tramway (see also para 18.23).
TRAM STOPS
18.16 On modern tramways, tramcars stop at purpose-built platforms to help passengers to board. These are readily recognisable by other traffic and the raised platform makes it unattractive for other vehicles to park there, so there should be no need for clearway markings of the kind used at bus stops.
18.17 Where a tram stop platform is located on a length of road shared with other traffic, it is sometimes necessary for the raised platform to project into the carriageway to ensure that it is close enough to the tram for passengers to board. The end of the platform facing approaching traffic should be protected by kerbing or surface treatment, or by hatched road markings to diagram 1040.4 (see para 4.54) to guide other traffic away from the end of the platform. Hazard reflectors to diagrams 560 or 561 might also be necessary.
18.18 If the tram stop is in a lay-by or on a short length of road reserved for trams only, the TRAM ONLY variant of diagram 1048.2 (see para 18.6) may be used in conjunction with the sign to diagram 953.1 and the plate 953.2 to discourage other traffic from entering the tram stop area. Where the track leading to the tram stop diverges from the main carriageway at a shallow angle, the techniques described in paras 18.7 to 18.10 should be used.
​SWEPT PATH MARKINGS
18.19 Tramcars are significantly wider than the tracks on which they run, and the overhang increases on curves. This "swept path" (which is the developed kinematic envelope plus a safety margin, typically 300 mm) may be indicated by the use of colour, texture or differences in level. It may also be shown using road markings to either diagram 1010 or 1066. The size of the safety margin should be agreed with the Railway Inspectorate. The swept path should be shown where it is not apparent from the carriageway or kerbs. Where there is on-street parking, it is essential that the swept path is visible to ensure that vehicles are not left in a position to obstruct trams.
18.20 Where it is important that drivers of both trams and other vehicles can readily identify the swept path, a marking to diagram 1010 is normally used. Where this might cause confusion to other drivers, e.g. where the track passes through a junction or the tramway diverges from the line of the carriageway, the marking to diagram 1066 may be used. The row of dots formed by this marking will be clear to tram drivers, but will not be readily observed by drivers of other vehicles who view them from a different angle. These marks should therefore be used where the swept path needs to be seen by tram drivers only.
18.21 The markings to diagram 1010 or 1066 should be laid along the edge of the swept path. The former marking should be 150 mm wide, whilst the marks to diagram 1066 should be between 55 mm and 100 mm in diameter and placed at 1.5 m centres, although a spacing of up to 2.5 m is permitted where necessary to avoid conflicting with other markings.
18.22 Where trams run together with other traffic on a two-way road, the centre line marking should be centrally located between the two swept paths. Where these are closely adjacent to each other, the marks next to the centre line should be omitted.
18.23 Where a tramway passes through a yellow box marking, the swept path should be indicated as shown in figure 18-4. The yellow markings should be terminated on either side of the swept path with a 200 mm wide boundary line. In these circumstances, the swept path is for the guidance of tram drivers only, so it is not necessary to continue the marking to diagram 1010 through the box.
This work has been mirrored or sourced from material provided on the UK Government website at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/traffic-signs-manual, which states material is available under the terms of the Open Government License unless indicated otherwise. (Crown copyright acknowledged.)
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This document no longer necessarily represents current practice, as it relates to an earlier version of the regulations (TSGRD 2002 as amended at publication date) rather than the current TSRGD 2016 regulations. It should not be used for actual design or operational use without consulting a more recent edition.
This version was transcribed in May 2015, from a 2009 impression.
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