# Traffic Signs Manual/Chapter 5/2009/19

GENERAL
19.1 Before a new level crossing is marked out or the markings at an existing crossing are modified, the railway operator and H M Railway Inspectorate must be consulted. Carriageway markings, road studs and other signing associated with level crossings are specified in the level crossing order (see also para 19.15). The normal arrangement is set out in detail in the Railway Inspectorate’s publication "Railway Safety Principles and Guidance, Part 2, Section E, Guidance on Level Crossings" (ISBN 07176-0952-9). Unless otherwise indicated in that document, dimensions should be as specified in the relevant sections of this chapter. The Inspectorate's guidance details the following types of level crossing, explains when each should be used and includes drawings which show the road markings and vertical signs to be used with them:
(i)gated crossings operated by railway staff only,
(ii) manually controlled barrier crossing (MCB),
(iii) automatic half barrier crossing (AHBC),
(iv) automatic barrier crossing, locally monitored (ABCL),
(v) automatic open crossing, locally monitored (AOCL),
(vi) open crossing (OC), and
(vii) user-worked crossing (UWC).
Road markings are not normally provided at gated crossings operated only by railway staff, unless the crossing is also signalled. Where they are, they should conform to the following guidance.
TRANSVERSE MARKINGS
19.2 Transverse road markings should extend across the left hand half of each two-way carriageway, or across the full width of a carriageway which is either one-way or has no centre line marking.
19.3 Where road traffic light signals are installed, (MCBs, AHBCs, ABCLs and AOCLs) transverse Stop lines to diagram 1001 should be provided at right angles to the carriageway on each approach approximately 1 m before the primary traffic light signal. At AOCLs this should be increased to 2 m. The 300 mm size variant is recommended.
19.4 At OCs, Give Way lines to diagram 1003 should be provided at right angles to the carriageway on each approach to the crossing, but not less than 2 m from the running edge of the nearest rail. Give Way signs to diagram 602 and the triangular markings to diagram 1023 must also be used.
19.5 As UWCs are installed only where private roads cross the railway, carriageway markings are not normally used. However, where a STOP sign to diagram 601.1 is provided, a transverse Stop line to diagram 1002.1 and the word STOP to diagram 1022 should also be provided unless the road surface is unsuitable. If the private road is one to which the public has access, these markings must be used, utilising a short length of road surfacing if necessary.
19.6 At AHBCs, ABCLs, AOCLs and OCs, a pedestrian Give Way line to diagram 1003.2 should be provided across any footway. It should also be extended across the right hand side of a carriageway marked with a centre line, but this is not necessary where there are guard rails between the carriageway and the footway. It is not used at MCBs as the full width is controlled by barriers.
19.7 The pedestrian Give Way line should be at right angles to the carriageway. It should be located approximately 1 m on the approach side of any road traffic light signal, except at open crossings where it should be in line with the Give Way markings on the left hand side of the carriageway. No part of the line should be less than 2 m from the running edge of the nearest rail.
19.8 At obtuse skew crossings, the Give Way line for pedestrians should be provided in conjunction with a pedestrian signal. The end of this pedestrian line at the edge of the carriageway should be located not less than 2 m from the nearest rail (see figure 9 in the publication referred to in para 19.1).
​LONGITUDINAL ROAD MARKINGS
19.9 A continuous line to diagram 1012.1 should be provided along each edge of the carriageway where the road passes over a level crossing. Line widths are detailed in table 4-5. A 100 mm wide line should also be provided along the back of each footway and, if separated from the main carriageway, along the front edge. The markings should be continued as necessary on each approach.
19.10 The type of centre line marking used generally depends on the width of the carriageway (see paras 19.11 to 19.13).
19.11 Where the width of the carriageway over the crossing is less than 5 m, centre line markings will not normally be provided.
19.12 Where the width of the carriageway over the crossing is 5 m or more, but less than 5.5 m, the centre of the carriageway between the Stop or Give Way lines should be marked with the appropriate longitudinal warning line to diagram 1004 where the speed limit is 40 mph or less, or 1004.1 where it is greater than 40 mph. The warning line should extend back from each Stop line for a distance equivalent to at least the minimum number of marks indicated in table 4-3, or for at least 6 m on each side of the crossing if beyond this distance the carriageway is less than 5 m in width.
19.13 Where the width of the carriageway at the crossing and on the immediate approaches is 5.5 m or more, the centre of the carriageway over the crossing should be marked with a double continuous line to diagram 1013.1A (see paras 19.16, 19.17 and figure 19-1). This should be continued along the approach to the crossing where justified by the normal visibility criteria for double white lines; at automatic half barrier crossings it should extend for at least 12 m back from the Stop line. Unless the double continuous line extends further back from each Stop line than the distance indicated in table 19-1, it should be preceded by a double white line to diagram 1013.1D, with the continuous line nearer to drivers approaching the crossing.
19.14 The minimum length of double white lines depends on the 85th percentile speed of private cars using the road, and on the general width of the carriageway (i.e. excluding any part of the crossing or approaches which may have been specially widened). Recommended overall lengths of the marking to diagram 1013.1A, or a combination of that marking and diagram 1013.1D, are shown in table [[[#table19.1|19-1]]. For roads having a carriageway more than 7.3 m wide the lengths in the table may be increased by up to 50%, but the double lines should not extend beyond the position of the sign to diagram 784.1, where this is used, unless a lay-by is provided.
19.15 At least one arrow to diagram 1014 must be provided on each approach to the double lines at crossings. This might be positioned outside the area covered by the level crossing order; if so, the traffic authority must ensure that it is provided. A second arrow is normally used on each approach (see paras 5.13 to 5.16 and table 5-1).
ROAD STUDS
19.16 The Regulations require double white lines to be accompanied by road studs (regulation 31(3)). A single row of white studs must be used, laid between the lines at nominal intervals of 4 m.
19.17 Any stud laid within 2 m of a running rail should be of plastic construction.
Table 19-1 Length of double white lines :
| 85 percentile speed (mph) | Recommended length of double lines measured from the Stop line (m) |
| Up to 30 | Up to 30 |
| 31 to 40 | 30 to 45 |
| Over 40 | 45 to 60 |
​YELLOW BOX MARKINGS
19.18 Yellow box markings to diagram 1045 may be provided only where specified in the level crossing order. They should be provided at AHBCs if the road traffic flow in any one direction exceeds the figures in table 19-2, but not normally at other types of crossing. Figure 19-1 shows a layout for a box marking at a single or double track railway crossing.
19.19 Where a long box is required (up to the 30 m maximum prescribed), the marking should be extended using additional diamond shaped units on the approach side and additional diagonal crosses on the trailing side of the crossing (see figure 19-2).
fig19.2
Table 19-2 Yellow box criterion :
| Overall width of carriageway (m) | Yellow box to be provided if vehicle numbers in any one hour in either direction exceed |
| 5.0 to 5.9 | 500 |
| 6.0 to 7.4 | 600 |
| 7.5 and over | 750 |
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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