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.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • 3M invests US$1.3 million in tolling technology testing
    April 8, 2014
    3M is investing $1.3million to expand its research center to develop and test tolling and public safety products, and customers can use it too. When 3M opened its Transportation Safety Research Center (TSRC) in the 1970s it was as an extension of its research facilities. More than a showcase for innovation, the center was—and continues to be—a dynamic outdoor laboratory where new traffic materials, systems, vehicle safety and public safety products are tested in real-world conditions. Now, with 3M expanding
  • City of South Perth trials in-ground parking sensors
    June 25, 2015
    Working in partnership with Australian Parking and Revenue Control (APARC), the City of South Perth has recently installed in-ground parking sensors for a three-month trial period. The RFID-equipped SmartEye sensor from UK company Smart Parking is surface flush mounted and records when a vehicle arrives and departs from a parking bay. Once a vehicle has overstayed the permitted time limit, a signal is sent from the sensor to the nearest Council ranger's smart phone device. The City decided to proceed
  • Traffic Group Signals overcomes radio band interference
    August 21, 2023
    Company boosts performance of its Metro Pro-enabled temporary traffic signals
  • NYC seeks department to deliver on sustainability
    January 31, 2024
    Department of Sustainable Delivery will be a "first-in-the-nation" regulator