Problem with this route particularly with 801 services starting/terminating Newark north gate on a number of services get constant red signals one example being a Doncaster to Newark then Peterborough service got the signal clearance called signaller just to be sure owing to signal being distant thought great as got message proceed as signals indicate thought great however I left and got a spad and alarm despite fact I had got clearance from dispatcher
proceed as signals indicate means do what the signals say, not that you got permission to ignore them.
I find it always says that when it’s red and the dispatcher does not want to override the signals. It is basically says do what the signals say. It the case of the red, it implies waiting for the signal to improve and follow what the signal says.
I've passed pure reds before when getting a "proceed as signals indicate" without an issue. It shouldn't be a guessing game, that's OPs issue. I reckon getting more clear responses from the dispatcher would also weed out lots of "false stuck at red" signals.