Direction Signs and Road Markings 方向標誌及道路標記

Colours and Symbols on Direction Signs 方向標誌的顏色和符號

Most direction signs are blue with a white border, but those on expressways are green. Signs for local destinations have black lettering on a white background. Signs for pedestrians or cyclists are also blue with a white border and carry a pedestrian or cycle symbol.

Symbols can point to facilities such as the airport, a parking place, an MTR station or a subway, and may also appear on their own. The hospital symbol points to a nearby hospital with accident and emergency services. The international symbol of accessibility marks suitable routes or entrances to facilities for the disabled.

Cross-harbour tunnel symbols are marked E, C and W for the Eastern Harbour Crossing, Cross-Harbour Tunnel and Western Harbour Crossing. Taxi drivers should also recognise the signs for urban, New Territories and Lantau taxi pick up and drop off places.

Advance Direction Signs and Informatory Signs 預告方向標誌及提示標誌

A direction sign placed on the approach to a junction is called an advance direction sign. It may list destinations or show a simple map of the junction, where a thicker line means a more important road. It may also show lane information or warn of prohibitions and dangers ahead.

At multi-level junctions on roads with faster traffic, junction information is usually given at least 500m in advance and repeated at the start of the deceleration lane. Advance signs for a roundabout show the exit arrangement: a green background for an exit to an expressway and a white background for a local destination.

Changing your mind or hesitating at a diverging point is dangerous. Plan your route before moving off, know in advance which way you need to go, and follow the signs in good time to get into the appropriate lane. On gantry signs, the arrow below a destination points to the lane for that destination.

Countdown markers show the distance to an exit at 300m, 200m and 100m. Reversed symbols mean the exit is on the right, and the background is green on an expressway. Other informatory signs include no through road, start of dual carriageway ahead, a place to stop temporarily to let others pass, and a census point, where you must stop.

Strategic Route Numbers 主要幹線編號

Hong Kong has ten strategic routes. Route number shields and exit numbers on direction signs guide drivers along them, and chainage markers at regular intervals show your position on the route.

The three north-south routes each pass through one cross-harbour tunnel and are numbered in the order the tunnels opened. Route 1 (Aberdeen to Sha Tin) uses the Cross-Harbour Tunnel, Route 2 (Quarry Bay to Ma Liu Shui) the Eastern Harbour Crossing, and Route 3 (Sai Ying Pun to Yuen Long) the Western Harbour Crossing.

The six east-west routes are numbered from south to north: Route 4 (Chai Wan to Kennedy Town), Route 5 (Ngau Tau Kok to Tsuen Wan), Route 6 (Tseung Kwan O to West Kowloon), Route 7 (Tseung Kwan O to Kwai Chung), Route 8 (Sha Tin to Chek Lap Kok) and Route 10 (Shenzhen Port Area to Lam Tei).

Route 9 is the New Territories Circular Route, passing through places such as Shing Mun Tunnels, Sha Tin, Tai Po, Fanling, Sheung Shui, Lok Ma Chau, Yuen Long, Tuen Mun and Tsuen Wan. Routes 1, 2, 3 and 5 join Route 9, while Route 7 joins Route 5.

Road Markings: Warnings, Information and Orders 道路標記：警告、提示及指令

Warning and information markings include lane lines, centre lines and carriageway edge lines. A warning line replaces a lane line or centre line near a hazard. You may also see markings for slow – hazard ahead, get over to the left, give way to buses, the end of a bus lane and the start of the speed limit shown.

With double white lines, look at the line nearest to you. If it is solid, do not cross or drive on it. If it is broken, you may cross to overtake. Double white lines with hatching, merging and diverging chevrons and hatched traffic island markings all mean you must not cross or enter the hatched area. The hard shoulder is for emergency use only.

At a box junction, or a tram and North-west Railway crossing box, do not enter unless your exit is clear. Vehicles must not stop on the yellow striped markings at a light signal crossing, and parking is not allowed on a yellow hatched area. Zebra crossings have 'Give way' lines and controlled areas marked with zigzag lines.

Markings also show where stopping or parking is banned, such as no stopping at any time, no stopping at the times on a 'Time plate', and no parking at any time or at those times. Others mark a public light bus stand or taxi stand, taxi pick up and drop off only, parking spaces for disabled persons with a parking permit only, bus lanes, tram lanes and light rail vehicle only lanes.