road signs - which way now?
The Communities and Transport
Secretaries recently wrote to local authorities raising
concerns about the number of traffic signs in place throughout the
country. Eric Pickles and Philip Hammond are concerned that
the surge in the number of traffic signs has made towns and cities
in the UK look 'cluttered'. Local councils stand accused of
wasting taxpayers' moniey on signs that the Government says blight
the local environment.
Unsurprisingly, local authorities have
defended themselves against charges of being wasteful and of being
over-zealous when it comes to installing road signs. The Local
Government Association points out that one person's clutter is
another person's sensible signage.
Is 'clutter' the real issue though?
Perhaps the most significant consideration in our view should
be road safety. If particular signs make the roads safer then that
is surely more important than whether or not the aesthetics of our
towns are compromised?
The problem for local authorities is that
there is force in the argument that having too many signs in place
at one location can be just as dangerous as not having enough signs
or indeed not having any signs at all. Our Motoring
Offences team travels the country on a daily basis and has
first hand experience of this.
In some places the motorist becomes so
distracted by trying to work out whether or not they can turn left,
turn right or drive in a bus lane on a Wednesday afternoon, that
they can forget that they (the motorist) need to consider whether
there are pedestrians, cyclists and other car drivers on the road
as well.
The local authorities have a difficult task.
They are required to ensure compliance with the Traffic Signs
Regulations and General Directions 2002 (TSRGD). This
encyclopaedia of all things traffic sign prescribes the size,
shape, colour and wording of all of our road signs. If
councils do not comply then there is an argument that the sign is
invalid and no enforcement action (speeding/parking, etc) can take place? The
Motoring Offences team has
been successful in arguing exactly this point for many years.
It is hard not to feel some sympathy for the councils. They
are damned if they do and lose in the criminal courts if they
don't.
what is the solution?
Everyone is in favour of more attractive
towns. Everyone is in favour of road safety.
The irony here is the power to do something
about this lies with the Government – and only the Government.
If the Government were to overhaul the road traffic
legislation so that the requirements prescribing the size and
number of traffic signs were relaxed they would truly enable local
authorities to do something about the problem. Then the
councils could really think about reducing the number of signs.
We understand that the Department for Transport is reviewing
its policy on traffic signs and will issue new advice on how to cut
down on the 'clutter' later this year. It is pointless
issuing such guidance while the local authorities are required by
nationally made law to erect a sign on every corner or face defeat
in the criminal courts in the event of a legal challenge. The
cart has to come before the horse.
National Government must act first – and only
then think about issuing guidance to others.
