The term clearway is used in several Commonwealth countries to refer to stretches of road or street where parking is prohibited.
In Australia, a clearway is a special road upon which only taxis and buses may stop at the kerb on certain times of the day. Any other vehicle which stands at the kerb may be towed away (unless there is some form of emergency).
Clearways are used on congested roads where there is no room for additional traffic lanes. Clearways aim to improve traffic flow at certain times of the day by prohibiting stopping in the lane next to the kerb, adding another lane to the roadway (when used on both sides of the road, two are added).
In New South Wales clearways are indicated by a yellow broken line at the kerb and "clearway" signage (which indicates the times of the day upon which the clearway operates).
In Perth, Western Australia, clearways operate between 7:30 and 9:00 am, and from 4:15 to 6:00 pm on weekdays. Parking meters do not accept payment during these times. [1]
In New Zealand, a clearway is section of road on which it is illegal to stop for any reason other than a breakdown or an obstruction to the road such as stationary traffic. Clearways may operate at all times or for limited times such as peak traffic flow times. As such, they operate in a similar way to those in the United Kingdom.
Similar signs are deployed on New Zealand clearways to British clearways, with a standard blue circle edged in red and featuring a red diagonal cross. If the clearway is for limited periods only, this will be indicated by a small sign below the clearway sign. Whereas in the United Kingdom a further notice with the word "Begins" or "End" will indicate the extent of a clearway, in New Zealand this is indicated by small signs featuring red arrows, indicating the direction from the sign in which the clearway is in operation. Larger white signs with black or red text indicating the details of the clearway are also sometimes found, featuring an image of the red and blue circle (as on the regular signs) as a prominent feature. [2]
In the United Kingdom, a clearway is a road or section of road on which it is illegal to stop on the main carriageway for any reason except in an emergency. [3]
Certain sections of urban road may be designated Urban Clearway, which is a little-used designation, but one which prevents vehicles being stopped during the peak hours, typically 07:00–09:30 and 15:00–18:00. Vehicles are permitted to stop only as long as necessary to pick up or set down passengers. [3] This allows the commuter traffic to flow more freely, but still allows for overnight and daytime parking when the road is not so busy.
Traffic comprises pedestrians, vehicles, ridden or herded animals, trains, and other conveyances that use public ways (roads) for travel and transportation.
A roundabout is a type of circular intersection or junction in which road traffic is permitted to flow in one direction around a central island, and priority is typically given to traffic already in the junction.
An intersection or an at-grade junction is a junction where two or more roads converge, diverge, meet or cross at the same height, as opposed to an interchange, which uses bridges or tunnels to separate different roads. Major intersections are often delineated by gores and may be classified by road segments, traffic controls and lane design.
Traffic lights, traffic signals, or stoplights – known also as robots in South Africa are signalling devices positioned at road intersections, pedestrian crossings, and other locations in order to control flows of traffic.
A warning sign is a type of sign which indicates a potential hazard, obstacle, or condition requiring special attention. Some are traffic signs that indicate hazards on roads that may not be readily apparent to a driver.
Prohibitory traffic signs are used to prohibit certain types of manoeuvres or some types of traffic.
Road surface marking is any kind of device or material that is used on a road surface in order to convey official information; they are commonly placed with road marking machines. They can also be applied in other facilities used by vehicles to mark parking spaces or designate areas for other uses. In some countries and areas, road markings are conceived as horizontal traffic signs, as opposed to vertical traffic signs placed on posts.
A bus lane or bus-only lane is a lane restricted to buses, often on certain days and times, and generally used to speed up public transport that would be otherwise held up by traffic congestion. The related term busway describes a roadway completely dedicated for use by buses. Bus lanes are a key component of a high-quality bus rapid transit (BRT) network, improving bus travel speeds and reliability by reducing delay caused by other traffic.
Road signs in the United Kingdom and in its associated Crown dependencies and overseas territories conform broadly to European design norms, though a number of signs are unique: direction signs omit European route numbers and road signs generally use the Imperial System of units, unlike the rest of Europe. Signs in Wales and parts of Scotland are bilingual.
Road signs in Sweden are regulated in Vägmärkesförordningen, VMF (2007:90), and are to be placed 2 metres from the road with the sign 1.6 m from the base for motorized roads. Except for route numbers, there are a maximum of three signs on a pole, with the most important sign at the top. All signs have a reflective layer added on selected parts of the sign as is custom in European countries; most larger signs also have their own illumination.
Road signs in Singapore closely follow those laid down in the traffic sign regulations used in the United Kingdom, although a number of changes over the years have introduced some slight deviations that suit local road conditions. Road signs in Singapore conform to the local Highway Code under the authority of the Singapore Traffic Police.
In traffic engineering, there are regional and national variations in traffic light operation. This may be in the standard traffic light sequence or by the use of special signals.
Road signs in Norway are regulated by the Norwegian Public Roads Administration, Statens vegvesen.
Road signs in New Zealand are similar to those set by the Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals. While New Zealand is not a signatory to the convention, its road signs are generally close in shape and function. New Zealand uses yellow diamond-shaped signs for warnings in common with Australia, the Americas, Ireland, Japan and Thailand. Speed limit signs are a red circle with a white background and the limitation in black, and are in kilometres per hour. There are also some signs unique to New Zealand. Road signs in New Zealand are controlled by the Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency and are prescribed in the Land Transport Rule: Traffic Control Devices 2004 and set out in the Traffic Control Devices (TCD) Manual.
Road signs in Mauritius are standardised traffic signs used in Mauritius according to the Traffic Signs Regulations 1990. They are heavily modelled on road signs in the United Kingdom, since Mauritius is a former British colony. Mauritius has left-hand traffic.
Road signs in Hong Kong are standardised by the Transport Department. 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.
Terminology related to road transport—the transport of passengers or goods on paved routes between places—is diverse, with variation between dialects of English. There may also be regional differences within a single country, and some terms differ based on the side of the road traffic drives on. This glossary is an alphabetical listing of road transport terms.
Yellow lines are road markings used in various territories.
Road signs in Armenia are similar to the signs of other post-Soviet states and most European road sign systems. Armenia is a signatory of the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic and the Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals. The Ministry of Transport regulates these icons, while the police enforces them. Road signs ensure transport vehicles move safely and orderly, as well as, to inform both pedestrians and motorists of traffic rules.
The United Kingdom employs a number of measures to control parking on public highways. The main control is through signed bans on waiting or stopping such as clearways or yellow lines or through charging and time restriction schemes.
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