Road signs in Hong Kong
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Road signs in Hong Kong are standardized by the Transport Department.[1] Due to being a former British territory, the road signage in Hong Kong is similar to road signs in the United Kingdom, with the addition of Traditional Chinese characters.
Design and language[]
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Road signs in Hong Kong closely follow those used in the United Kingdom, and complies with the Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals, a legacy of the city's previous British overseas territory status. Signs normally use the Transport Medium typeface on dark backgrounds or Transport Heavy on light backgrounds, which is identical to the use in the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland and most of the current and previous British Overseas Territories
Road signs placed in the 2000s to 2010s commonly use Arial Narrow or Helvetica, with or without a modified letter 'L'; street signs sometimes also use Helvetica. The newest signs built after 2016 have increasingly resumed the use of Transport; some signs on recently completed expressways use Transport Heavy on dark backgrounds.
Writing system on the traffic signs comprises British English and traditional Chinese, two official languages of Hong Kong, in an order of English above Traditional Chinese.
Warnings[]
Signs warning of hazardous conditions or dangerous situations (e.g. "Intersection" or "Steep incline ahead" bear a black-on-white symbol inside a red-bordered triangle (point uppermost).[2]
Stop or give way signs ahead (with distance to line ahead given below)
Bend to left ahead (right if symbol reversed)
Double bend ahead first to right (symbol may be reversed)
Two-way traffic ahead
Two-way traffic across a one-way road ahead
Dual carriageway ends ahead
Roundabout ahead
Road narrows ahead on right (left if symbol reversed)
Road narrows on both sides ahead
Sharp deviation of route (may be used with amber border)
Steep hill upwards ahead
Steep hill downwards ahead
Traffic lights ahead
Traffic Accident blackspot ahead
Pedestrian Accident blackspot ahead.
Cross roads ahead
Staggered junction ahead (symbol may be reversed)
Side road ahead (symbol may be reversed)
T-junc-tion ahead (symbol may be reversed)
Traffic merges from left (right if symbol reversed)
Tramway crossing ahead
Over-head electric cable ahead
Quay-side or river bank ahead
Fog or mist might appear on the road when it's could or rainy
Risk of falling or fallen rocks ahead
Pedestrians on road ahead
Pedestrian crossing ahead
Children ahead
Disabled people may appear on the road
Blind People might appear on the road
Cycles ahead
Horses ahead
Cattle ahead
Low-flying aircraft or sudden aircraft noise ahead
Uneven road ahead
Road hump ahead
Reduce speed now
Advice for cyclists
Distance to 'Give way' line
Distance to 'Stop' line
Regulatory[]
With the exception of the special shapes used for "Stop" and "Yield" signs (respectively, an octagon and a downward-pointing triangle), signs giving orders are circular and are of two kinds:[3]
Prohibitory signs (e.g. "No left turn") take the form of a black-on-white symbol inside a red-bordered circle, sometimes with the addition of a red slash through the symbol. Mandatory signs (e.g. "Turn right only") bear a white symbol on a blue disk.
Give way to traffic on major road
Stop and give way
Ahead only
Keep left (right if symbol reversed)
Turn left (right if symbol reversed)
Turn left at junction ahead (right if symbol reversed)
Vehicles may pass either side to reach same destination
No stopping
No waiting (parking)
No entry
Police checkpoint or roadblock (stop at sign)
School crossing patrol (stop at sign)
Segregated path between pedestrian and cyclist paths
Route to be used by pedal cycles only (no motor vehicles)
Cyclists must dismount and push your bicycle
End of cycling dismounting
Light rail transit (vehicles or trams only)
All vehicles prohibited, except permitted vehicles
No motor vehicles
No motor vehicles excluding motorcycles
No motorcycles
Large buses are prohibited
Minibuses are prohibited
No access to trucks
No right turn (no left turn if symbol reversed)
No U-turn
No pedestrians
No bicycles
No pedestrians, pedestrian controlled vehicles, bicycles and tricycles
Pedestrian priority zone
Rickshaws and handcarts are prohibited in this area
No use of horn
No overtaking
Cargo trucks transporting hazardous materials is prohibited
No vehicles over width shown
No vehicles over length shown
No vehicles over height shown
No vehicles over gross vehicle weight shown
No vehicles over gross axle weight shown
No learner drivers
Way in for vehicles
Way out for vehicles
No way out for vehicles
No way in for vehicles
Single track road with passing places
Passing place (on narrow roads)
Except for access if no alternative route
End of prohibition, restriction, and construction
Distance of prohibition/restriction
Speed limit in kilometres per hour (km/h)
Parking for all cars
Parking for buses and coaches only
Motorway begins
Motorway ends
Temporary/Construction[]
Temporary road signs (e.g. Red rectangular signs with instructions in white)[4]
Wait on red light
Road ahead is closed
Road closed
Direction signs for temporary routes with destination
Worded warning sign (wording may be varied)
Temporary route for pedestrians
Temporary pedestrian crossing closure
Road work ahead
Danger ahead
Slippery road ahead
Loose chippings ahead
Slow down, police is near by.
Accident ahead, follow direction of police
Police roadblock ahead
Manually operated temporary 'Stop' sign
Manually operated temporary 'Go' sign
Guide[]
Guide signs are generally rectangular (sometimes pointed at one end in the case of direction signage).[5]
Overhead guide sign on major roads.
Interchange sign to Route 6
Roundabout sign with three exits.
Motorway route number
Direction sign with destination
Direction to MTR station
Direction to vehicular ferry pier
Direction to parking place
Speed camera ahead
Street direction sign
Street direction sign with numbers
No through road
Advance warning of no through road on left
Advance warning of no through road on right
Location of traffic survey
Vehicles must stop at a census traffic point
Countdown markings to indicate distance from exit (100m)
Countdown markings to indicate distance from exit (200m)
Countdown markings to indicate distance from exit (300m)
Tunnel ahead
To cross harbour tunnel
Obsolete[]
Post-Worboys[]
Ahead only
Keep left (right if symbol reversed)
Turn left (right if symbol reversed)
Turn left at junction ahead (right if symbol reversed)
Vehicles may pass either side to reach same destination
Speed limit in kilometres per hour (km/h)
Pre-Worboys[]
One-way traffic
Pedestrian crossing
Turn left
One-way traffic (left)
Turn right
One-way traffic (right)
No through road for motor vehicles
No entry
No Waiting
No Cycling
Speed Limit
National Speed Limit Applies
Parking
References[]
- ^ "Chapter 8: The Language of the Road". Transport Department. Retrieved 2020-12-04.
- ^ "Traffic Signs Giving Warning". Transport Department. Retrieved 2020-12-04.
- ^ "Traffic Signs Giving Orders". Transport Department. Retrieved 2020-12-04.
- ^ "Temporary Signs and Road Markings". Transport Department. Retrieved 2020-12-04.
- ^ "Traffic Signs Giving Information". Transport Department. Retrieved 2020-12-04.
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Road signs in Hong Kong. |
- Road signs by country
- Transport in Hong Kong