The government has created a new taskforce to tackle pointless road signs across the UK. The latest figures from the Department for Transport (DfT) show the number of road signs on UK roads has doubled in the last decade – with an estimated 4.57 million traffic signs populating roads today.
Since 1993 the number of speeding signs has increased by 96.3 per cent, and parking regulation signs surged 84.1 per cent in the same period. With such a rise in numbers, authorities are worried that signs are becoming more of a distraction and blight on roads rather than keeping motorists safe and informed.
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Currently some of the most 'pointless' traffic signs are ones indicating a change in road layout, such as a new roundabout or crossing, as they’re often followed by regular signs indicating the changed layout.
The new taskforce, overseen by Sir Alan Duncan MP, is already busy with a consultation to propose new measures to ensure that road signs used longer than needed will have a ‘remove by’ date, all signs are visible on an unlit road and temporary message signs are not cluttered with adverts or distracting logos.
The consultation is set to close on 6 October 2015, and the taskforce is to present its recommendations to the government by December 2015.
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However, to enable local authorities to make a difference before the new regulations kick in, the DfT has already begun to relax laws and requirements for road signs.
Sir Alan Duncan said: “I have been campaigning on this issue for twenty years. I am delighted to lead this initiative. The UK has erected thousands of road signs which are completely unnecessary, such as traffic light warning signs when you can see the lights themselves.
We are going to look at how we might get rid of whole categories of unnecessary signs and improve the look of our roads and streets.”
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