Commuters may have noticed the recent installation of two large lollipop signs at Railway Square, near Central Station, and elsewhere around Sydney.

Part of the rollout of new public transport signs by Transport for NSW, they use letters instead of the pictograms used on the existing signs: "T" means train, "L" light rail, "B" bus and "F" ferry.

A new train station sign at Milsons Point. Letters have replaced pictograms on the state's transport signs. Credit:Brendan Esposito

Asking 50 people at Railway Square if they knew what the new signs meant, just nine knew what "T" meant and seven knew what "L" meant.

By contrast, when shown a photo of a current train station sign with a train pictogram, 47 knew it meant train. Two thought it meant tram.