re: signage, I think they get it right. it’s a reliability trial, part of that is being able to follow a route. you get given a 1:50k map at the start so I think you should expect to look at it once or twice. I know I did.
re: attitude, I agree – didn’t seem as friendly as previously. There was one checkpoint with only one marshal and some guy in a Kingston Wheelers jersey thought it was appropriate to ride round the queue and jump straight in at the front.