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## Contents
Contents ..... 2
Introduction ..... 3
Classification of Destinations ..... 4
Group 1 – Emergency & Critical Response Destinations ..... 4
Group 2 – Essential Public Service Destinations ..... 4
Group 3 – Administrative, Civic and Business Destinations ..... 5
Group 4 – Community, Leisure and Local Access Destinations ..... 5
General Provisions and Exceptions ..... 7
Exclusions ..... 7
Traffic Signs Design Principles ..... 8
Road Hierarchy and Route Classification ..... 8
Primary Route Network in County Durham ..... 8
Principal Route Network ('A' Roads) ..... 9
Secondary and Local Roads ..... 9
Hierarchy of Destinations ..... 9
Regional Destinations ..... 9
Primary Destinations (Towns and Cities) ..... 10
Contact Details ..... 11
Alternative formats ..... 11
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## Introduction
1. This policy sets out Durham County Council's approach to the provision and management of miscellaneous directional signage to specific buildings and destinations across the county. Its purpose is to ensure that signing is applied consistently, proportionately and in a manner that supports road safety, effective traffic management and ease of navigation for all network users.
2. The policy recognises that not all destinations require traffic signs and that excessive or unnecessary signing can lead to visual clutter, driver distraction and reduced sign effectiveness. As such, a clear framework is provided to prioritise destinations based on their function, urgency of need, and the likelihood that users may be unfamiliar with their location.
3. The guidance reflects national standards, including the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions (TSRGD), and compliments other local policies such as brown tourist signing.
4. By defining categories of destinations and setting out principles for sign provision, funding responsibilities, and design, this policy supports a consistent decision-making process. It aims to ensure that signage is only provided where there is a clear and justifiable need—particularly where it contributes to road safety, reduces unnecessary traffic movements, or assists in accessing essential services.
5. This refreshed policy also reflects modern expectations around network efficiency, reducing sign clutter, and encouraging the use of alternative navigation methods where appropriate, while still recognising that clear on-street signing remains essential for certain destinations and situations
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## Classification of Destinations
6. This section outlines the council's approach to the provision of local direction signs to public buildings and other destinations frequently visited.
a. Please read in conjunction with Durham County Council's Brown Tourist Signs Policy, which applies to visitor attractions and facilities
7. In an effort to balance operational need with asset management and sign clutter, destinations have been grouped as follows:
Group 1 – Emergency & Critical Response Destinations
8. This group comprises destinations required in emergencies or at very short notice, where motorists may have only limited knowledge of the location.
9. Destinations include:
a. Police Stations (Open 24 hours)
b. Hospitals (with Accident and Emergency facilities)
10. Signage for these destinations shall be provided from the extended main road network to ensure clear and consistent guidance.
11. The council will be responsible for the provision and installation of such signage, subject to the availability of funding.
## Group 2 – Essential Public Service Destinations
12. This group includes destinations that are typically required with minimal delay but are not of an immediate emergency nature.
13. Destinations include:
a. Police Stations (Non 24 hour)
b. Hospitals (without Accident and Emergency facilities)
c. Railway Stations
d. Airports
e. Bus Stations
f. Crematoria
g. Public Toilets
14. These destinations should normally be signed from “A” or “B” class roads where they are in close proximity to such routes.
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15. On lower classification roads, signage will generally be limited to the immediate location of the destination.
16. The council will be responsible for the provision and installation of such signage, subject to the availability of funding.
## Group 3 – Administrative, Civic and Business Destinations
17. This group includes destinations frequently visited for administrative, civic or business purposes, where users are likely to have some prior knowledge of the destination or have undertaken prior journey planning.
18. Destinations include:
a. Courts
b. Council Offices
c. Government Offices
d. Prisons
e. Public Weighbridges
f. District Health Centres and Clinics
g. Industrial Estates and Business Parks
h. Public Car Parks
i. Recycling Centres
19. Signage provision for these destinations will be limited and located close to the destination.
20. Additional signage may be considered by an appropriate officer of the council when justified on traffic management or road safety requirements.
21. Responsibility for funding the installation and ongoing maintenance of the signage will rest with the organisation operating the destination.
22. Industrial Estates and Business Parks are typically signed as standard practice, with funding secured through site owners or economic development grants.
## Group 4 – Community, Leisure and Local Access Destinations
23. This group comprises destinations visited primarily for leisure, social activities or low-level business purposes (such as deliveries), where access may not be immediately apparent.
24. Signage will only be considered where the location is demonstrably difficult to fund.
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### 25. Destinations include:
a. Schools and Colleges with Community Use (evenings/weekends)
b. Schools with Difficult to Locate Entrance Points
c. Swimming Pools and Sports Facilities
d. Parks and Recreation Areas (where access is not obvious)
e. Public Halls, Churches and Community Centres
f. Large Premises With Separate Service/Delivery Access (Supermarkets/ DIY Stores etc)
26. Signage provision for these destinations will usually be limited to a single direction sign.
27. Responsibility for funding the installation and ongoing maintenance of the signage will rest with the organisation operating the destination
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## General Provisions and Exceptions
28. There will be occasions when it will not be possible to provide signage to a destination in a particular location, due to the proliferation of other signage, site constraints, visual impact, or other traffic management considerations.
29. Referring to destinations listed in groups 3 and 4, there may be exceptional circumstances where the Highway Authority considers that direction signs are required for essential traffic management and road safety reasons (for example, key car parks), In such cases, the Highway Authority will fund and install the signage, subject to budget availability.
## Exclusions
30. The Council receives requests for a wide range of destinations; however, not all are considered appropriate for directional signing.
31. The following are examples of destinations that will not normally be signed:
a. Dentists
b. Local Doctors Surgeries
c. Post Offices (excluding distribution centres)
d. Hairdressers and Barbers
e. Public Houses and Clubs (please refer to Brown Tourist Signs policy)
f. Chiropodists and Podiatrists (unless part of a health centre)
g. Betting Shops
h. Alternative Health Centres
i. Private Day Nurseries
32. These facilities are considered local services that should be accessible through general local knowledge or via directions provided at the point of appointment or booking.
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## Traffic Signs Design Principles
33. This section sets out the principles governing the use of road numbers and destinations on directional traffic signs.
34. The design and application of directional signing shall accord with the requirements of the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions (TSRGD) and relevant Department for Transport guidance.
35. Direction signage is structured to provide clear and consistent guidance to motorists through the use of a defined hierarchy of routes and destinations.
## Road Hierarchy and Route Classification
36. The signing system uses colour coding to indicate the classification and relative importance of routes, assisting drivers in following appropriate networks.
37. The principal colour conventions are as follows:
a. Motorways – Blue background
b. Primary Routes – Green background, or green panels on white signs
c. Non-Primary Routes ('A', 'B', 'C' and unclassified roads) – White background
38. Direction signs may incorporate coloured panels (“patching”) to indicate the status of connecting routes along which destinations can be reached.
## Primary Route Network in County Durham
39. The following routes form the Primary Route Network within County Durham and are signed using green backgrounds or green panels:
a. A19 – Entire length
b. A66 – Entire length
c. A67 – Within Barnard Castle (between A688 and B6277)
d. A68 – Entire length
e. A167 – From Aycliffe Interchange to Northlands Roundabout
f. A688 – From A181 Running Waters to Barnard Castle
g. A689 – From County Boundary at Wynyard to Coundon Gate Roundabout
h. A690 – From County Boundary at Sunderland to Neville’s Cross
i. A691 – From A690 Millburngate Roundabout to A692 Leadgate
j. A692 – From Castleside to County Boundary at Burnopfield
k. A693 – From A1(M) Junction 63 to A692 Leadgate
l. A1018 – Entire length
m. A6072 – From Shildon to Bishop Auckland
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## Principal Route Network ('A' Roads)
40. 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:
a. A67
b. A167
c. A177
d. A181
e. A182
f. A183
g. A689 – From Coundon Gate to County Boundary at Killhope
h. A690 – From Neville's Cross to Crook
i. A691 – From Leadgate (Villa Real) to Shotley Bridge
j. A694 – From Shotley Bridge to Rowlands Gill
k. A1086 – From Little Thorpe to County Boundary at Crimdon
l. A6076
## Secondary and Local Roads
41. ‘B’, ‘C’, and unclassified roads provide local access and distribution.
42. 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.
## Hierarchy of Destinations
43. Destinations displayed on directional signs shall follow a consistent hierarchy to assist driver wayfinding.
45. It is assumed that drivers undertaking longer journeys will have a general understanding of the broad direction of travel required.
44. Destination names should normally be listed in order of distance, with the furthest destination shown first, unless local conditions dictate otherwise.
## Regional Destinations
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.
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### 47. Recognised regional destinations include:
a. The North
b. The South
c. The West
d. The North West
e. The North East
f. The South West
g. The Lakes
h. The Midlands
i. North Wales
j. South Wales
k. Scotland
48. These destinations would normally be associated with motorways. However, there are times when they would be used on the primary and principal routes within County Durham.
49. Use of regional destinations will primarily occur on primary routes and at key decision points where long-distance route choice is required. In these cases, the regional destinations most commonly applied are:
a. The North
b. The South
## Primary Destinations (Towns and Cities)
50. Primary destinations are major towns and cities of national or regional significance, as identified in Department for Transport guidance.
51. These destinations form the backbone of the directional signing system below the regional level.
52. Within County Durham, the designated primary destinations are:
a. Bishop Auckland
b. Consett
c. Durham
53. When designing signage, consideration should also be given to primary destinations located within neighbouring authorities to ensure continuity of routes across administrative boundaries.
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## Contact Details
Traffic Assets Team
Traffic Management Section
Neighbourhoods and Environment
Durham County Council
Corten House
Durham
DH1 5TS
reg_ta_businesssupport@durham.gov.uk
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