Ban on pointless road signs called by Transport Secretary

The country’s roads could be getting a lot clearer, after calls to remove ‘pointless’ road signs.

Regulations on the placing of road signs are set to be revised after the Transport Secretary, Patrick McLoughlin, labelled them confusing and a danger to motorists, causing distractions and road traffic accidents.

The comments come as it was revealed that the number of signs on Britain’s roadsides has reached 4.5million, over double the number recorded twenty years ago, equating to one sign for every seven cars on the road.

A source within the Department for Transport is quoted as saying: “We’re pushing for councils to stop pointlessly putting up loads of road signs where fewer would do the job fine.

“It has become an issue as councils appear to have designated people whose job it is to handle what signs go up, some of whom are probably overzealous. It can end up looking hideous and all it does is confuse drivers.’

The Transport Department issued new guidance to councils about cutting pointless road signs last year, especially in areas where the sign’s subject is obvious, such as highly visible speed bump sites.

A survey released last year found that one in three drivers admitted having a car crash or a near miss because of baffling road signs.

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