Skip to main content

New changes could cut Britain's 4.6 million road signs

New plans to allow local councils in Great Britain the freedom to cut down the number of road markings and signs have been announced by Roads Minister Robert Goodwill. The changes are included in a new consultation which also contains proposals for clearer road markings and new low-level signals for cyclists which will help improve safety on the roads.
May 2, 2014 Read time: 2 mins
New plans to allow local councils in Great Britain the freedom to cut down the number of road markings and signs have been announced by Roads Minister Robert Goodwill.
 
The changes are included in a new consultation which also contains proposals for clearer road markings and new low-level signals for cyclists which will help improve safety on the roads.
 
The proposals will reduce the number of signs that the 1837 Department for Transport will need to authorise and streamline the approval process for councils, cutting regulation.
 
Announcing the plans, Goodwill said: "The number of signs has soared from two million in 1993 to over 4.6 million today. This is causing unnecessary clutter in our towns and cities. The proposed changes will mean greater flexibility for councils to cut the number of signs, whilst ensuring consistency and making sure our roads are even safer for cyclists and motorists."
 
The changes will mean road users will have signs that are easier to understand and could cut clutter on the roads. The proposals will also look to relax regulations for parking bays and yellow-box junctions to give local councils greater flexibility in designing road layouts and markings.
 
The Department for Transport also plans to introduce a range of measures to help local authorities make roads safer for cyclists and encourage more people to take to two wheels. These include: bigger cycle boxes at traffic lights to make it safer for cyclists at junctions; low-level traffic light signals and filters that give cyclists a 'head start' on other traffic; the roll-out of shared crossings for pedestrians and cyclists which allow those on a bicycle to CROSS the road safety; and removing the 'lead-in' lanes at advance stop lines, which force cyclists to enter a cycle box alongside the kerb.
 
The Department has worked closely with local councils, traffic authorities, sign makers and consultants to revise the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions (TSRGD), which offers clear guidance to local councils on road signs and makings.
 
As part of the consultation, the Department is also holding nine events across Great Britain to explain the improvements and proposed changes to over 700 practitioners.

Related Content

  • February 26, 2015
    New project aims to deliver next generation road mapping for England and Wales
    The Department for Transport is to contribute US$4.6 million to help create a digital road map that will give the most detailed information yet to councils and emergency services. The new map, developed by Ordnance Survey, has the potential to transform how all levels of government maintain and improve roads by detailing information such as road widths, traffic calming measures and height and weight restrictions. This dataset could also be linked to other information held by government, including planned ro
  • June 5, 2015
    TfL trials cyclist detection
    New world first trials would allow TfL to better cater for cyclists at key junctions Further on-street trials will take place later this year TfL now given blanket approval from DfT to install low-level cycle signals at junctions Transport for London (TfL) is to trial a new technology that will help give cyclists more time on green lights.
  • December 16, 2013
    London gets low-level lights for cyclists
    New low-level traffic lights designed for cyclists have been authorised for use following safety trials, the first time the lights have been used in the UK, transport minister Stephen Hammond has announced. More than 80 per cent of cyclists favoured the use of low-level signals during the track-based trials of the system, which works by repeating the signal displayed on main traffic lights at the eye level of cyclists.
  • April 30, 2013
    London may trial Dutch-style roundabouts
    Roundabouts similar to those used in the Netherlands, which separate cyclists from cars and give them priority, could be used in London as early as next year, subject to government approval, according to Transport for London (TfL). TfL has begun a major cycle safety research project to trial new and innovative junction layouts and traffic technology that, if successful, could be introduced in London and potentially more widely across the UK. The trials, which are being carried out for TfL by the Transport R