Highways Agency - Safe roads, Reliable journeys, Informed travellers

What are brown signs?

Tourist signs have a brown background and are often referred to as "brown signs".  Their main purpose is to direct visitors to tourist destination at the last stage of their journey. Typical destinations eligible for brown signs include:

• Picnic areas
• Museums
• Caravan sites
• Racecourses
• Castles and abbeys
• Parks or gardens
• Sporting facilities

Brown signs can only be used for tourist destinations and not for retail destinations such as shopping centres and garden centres. Brown signs are not classed as advertising signs. Advertising signs have different rules and regulations, are controlled by the local planning authority and may require planning permission.

Standard symbols may be used on brown signs. They illustrate different types of attraction or facility and are specified in Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2002. Here are some examples:

Who decides whether I can have brown signs?

The highway authority, also known as Home Traffic Authority (HTA), will decide whether a brown sign is appropriate and determine the number of signs needed. The decision will be based on the need for signs to direct motorists safely from the first sign to the premises - and it may be fewer or more signs than you think.

The design and use of traffic signs is controlled by the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2002 legislation (TSRGD 2002). The Department for Transport is responsible for this legislation.

The final decision lies with the relevant authorities, in order to ensure consistency and continuity of tourist signing from the first sign to the destination, including across highway authority boundaries. Gaps in signing to a destination are not permitted.

All authorities limit the number of signs allowed. This is for road safety reasons, as too many signs can be confusing and distract drivers, and for environmental reasons - too many signs could harm the countryside or street scene.

How do I find out which authority to apply to?

We manage most of England's motorways and major trunk roads. If we manage your road then we are the relevant authority. Other roads are managed by the local highways authority. In London this will be Transport for London or the local London borough. Elsewhere this will be the local city or county council, or metropolitan district council.

You can

• Check our network map to see if we manage your road. 
• Visit DirectGov to look up a Local Authority

Each authority will have their own set policy regarding brown signs. Our policy is set out in a national standard:

• Traffic Signs to Tourist Attractions and Facilities in England: Tourist Signing - Trunk Roads : TD 52/04 (458KB PDF)

A hard copy of the document is also available to purchase from The Stationery Office. Examples of the rules include:

• Attractions should have at least 250,000 visitors a year to be eligible for signs on motorways adjacent to large conurbations, 200,000 for other motorways, 150,000 for dual carriageways with a speed limit of 50 mph or more, 100,000 for other dual carriageways and 40,000 for single carriageway roads.
• Attractions which do not meet the annual visitor number criterion may be considered for tourist signing if the number of visitors in the peak month exceeds 20% of the annual requirement.
• For most tourist destinations signing would only be appropriate within 2 or 3 miles.
• The number of tourist destinations signed at a junction should not exceed three.
• With the exception of Tourist Information Centres, brown signs to tourist facilities are not permitted on motorways.

How do I make an application?

Request an application form from the relevant Home Traffic Authority (HTA), along with a copy of their guidelines and policy. Submit the completed application form with the appropriate fee to the HTA. They will tell you if other authorities need to be involved, and will normally undertake any necessary liaison.

Eligibility does not confer automatic entitlement to brown signs. The appropriate highway authority is responsible for deciding whether your establishment should be signed. Once installed, the signs may be modified, replaced or removed by the highway authority at its discretion.

Approval for signs will depend on whether the authority agrees that they will be helpful for road safety or traffic management reasons. This in turn will depend on factors such as the amount of existing signing on the roads in question. The decision on signing is entirely at the discretion of the relevant authorities. There is no statutory right of appeal.

What about costs?

All costs must be paid by the applicant. The total amount will depend upon the number of signs needed and their size (larger signs are needed where traffic speeds are higher).

Charges include the cost of design, production, installation and future maintenance during the serviceable life of the signs, and an amount to cover administration by the highway authorities. Costs of signs on high speed roads may be very expensive, if for example safety fencing is required. Any application fees are not refundable.

Once installed, signs become the property of the highway authority.