British streets are 'overrun by unnecessary road signs'

Date: 26/8/2010

Councils need to get rid of unnecessary signs and railings that confuse motorists and spoil the character of Britain's urban spaces, the government has announced.

According to the Department for Transport, the proportion of road signs should be kept to a minimum in order to be most effective.

Communities Secretary Eric Pickles said: "Our streets are losing their English character. We are being overrun by scruffy signs, bossy bollards, patchwork paving and railed off roads, wasting taxpayers' money that could be better spent."

He explained many councils have been overly cautious in installing signs when in fact few are required by law.

Philip Hammond, the Transport Secretary, added superfluous "street furniture" leaves the nation's streets looking like scrap heaps, obstructs pedestrians, hinders people with disabilities and confuses motorists.

It was recently reported by the Daily Telegraph that an initiative known as Shared Space, where road signs and traffic lights are removed from towns in order to improve traffic flow and reduce collisions, could be extended.

Posted by Mary Treen