Senior county officials are hopeful that the ‘biggest review of traffic signs in 40 years’ will allow cost savings by reducing the need for signs and the lighting of signs.
An action plan for the review is currently being finalised by the traffic sign policy review steering group, following the Department for Transport’s announcement of the review last autumn.
Highway authorities have expressed hope that the review would lead to greater local flexibility over whether signs are necessary or not.
Cllr Daniel Moylan, then chairman of London Council’s transport and environment committee, said it was ‘absurd’ that ‘the same rules are applied to a high-speed A-road as to a quiet town centre’ (Surveyor, 18 September 2008). Mark Kemp, the County Surveyors’ Society representative on the group, told Surveyor that the action plan ‘covers highway authorities’ areas of concern’.
There would be consideration of greater flexibility, except where a standard approach was justified, as with warning signs, he said.
There would also be significant action to remove loopholes on parking regulations following rulings by the adjudicator. Kemp added: ‘Where technicalities let people off, that makes it harder to do our job, to keep traffic moving.’
The DfT has also long acknowledged that the signing of controlled parking zones that are only signed at their boundaries can be unclear to motorists, and this is something the review would also consider (Surveyor, 26 October 2006).
Register now for full access
Register just once to get unrestricted, real-time coverage of the issues and challenges facing UK transport and highways engineers.
Full website content includes the latest news, exclusive commentary from leading industry figures and detailed topical analysis of the highways, transportation, environment and place-shaping sectors.
Use the link below to register your details for full, free access.
Already a registered? Login
