Principal routes include all ‘A’ classified roads, which serve an important function in distributing traffic across the network but are not necessarily part of the primary route system. These include:

A67

A167

A177

A181

A182

A183

A689 – From Coundon Gate to County Boundary at Killhope

A690 – From Neville's Cross to Crook

A691 – From Leadgate (Villa Real) to Shotley Bridge

A694 – From Shotley Bridge to Rowlands Gill

A1086 – From Little Thorpe to County Boundary at Crimdon

A6076

‘B’, ‘C’, and unclassified roads provide local access and distribution.

Signing on these roads should generally be limited in extent and focused on local destinations, avoiding unnecessary duplication of information available from higher classification routes.

Destinations displayed on directional signs shall follow a consistent hierarchy to assist driver wayfinding.

Destination names should normally be listed in order of distance, with the furthest destination shown first, unless local conditions dictate otherwise.

It is assumed that drivers undertaking longer journeys will have a general understanding of the broad direction of travel required.

46. For strategic navigation, Great Britain is divided into recognised regional destinations. These are used to guide long-distance traffic, particularly on motorways and primary routes.