The Architect of British Road Signs

Margaret Calvert didn’t just design letters—she designed the way millions of people move through the world. As co-creator of the UK’s Transport typeface and road signage system, she brought clarity, elegance, and a quiet artistry to everyday life. Her work shows how thoughtful design can make the complex simple—and enduring.

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Brief Overview

Margaret Calvert (b. 1936) is a British designer whose work transformed public signage and typography. After studying at the Chelsea School of Art, she partnered with Jock Kinneir in the 1950s to modernize the UK’s road signage system, creating the Transport typeface and standardized road symbols that remain in use today. Beyond roads, she applied her design sensibility to airports, exhibitions, and other public spaces. Calvert has received numerous honors for her contributions: she was awarded an honorary degree from the University of the Arts London (2004), made a Royal Designer for Industry for Graphic Design (2011), and received the D&AD President's Award (2015). She was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2016 Birthday Honours for services to typography and road safety and awarded an Honorary Fellowship by Arts University Bournemouth in 2018. In 2020–21, the Design Museum in London held a retrospective of her work, Margaret Calvert: Woman at Work.