Thousands of unnecessary road signs could be taken down around Britain after a government report concluded that most warnings were completely pointless.
The Department for Transport (DfT) review found the number of signs had doubled in 20 years to 4.3million, cluttering up streets and confusing motorists with outdated messages.
The report said the overuse of pointless signs has ‘become so widespread that it is verging on national humiliation,’ the Times reported.
It recommended that entire categories of signs should be scrapped, with a suggestion that nine in ten should be taken down.
Thousands of unnecessary road signs could be taken down around Britain after a government report concluded that most warnings were completely pointless
Signs warning of upcoming traffic lights, brown tourist signs and no stopping signs are among those facing the axe.
Signs warning motorists of speed cameras should also be scrapped in favour of an online database informing drivers of their positions, experts suggested.
Most signs are ‘entirely superfluous’ or assume an ‘insulting degree of stupidity on the part of drivers.’
The DfT is preparing to issue fresh guidelines to councils recommending creating a series of ‘golden rules’ including making sure most signs are no higher than 2.1metres and that those backed with reflective materials are no longer illuminated by their own spotlight.
The Department for Transport (DfT) review found the number of signs had doubled in 20 years to 4.3million, cluttering up streets and confusing motorists with outdated messages
Road markings should be used instead of signs in most cases, it adds.
The review was conducted by the Road Signs Task Force, which was created by the DfT in 2015 under the leadership of Sir Alan Duncan, who left a year later to become a Foreign Office minister.
The Department confirmed it is preparing to update its traffic signs manual after the report found the sheer number of signs to be ‘unsustainable.’
‘This is unsustainable and bears out the need to reduce signing wherever possible,’ the report said.
‘Although impossible to count, it seems clear that many of the country’s signs and posts are unnecessary and could be removed.
‘Information overload for drivers can contribute to driver distraction, and have a detrimental impact on road safety.’
A spokesman from the DfT said: ‘Nobody likes clutter, which is why we want to reduce the number of unnecessary traffic signs being used.’
The report said the overuse of pointless signs has ‘become so widespread that it is verging on national humiliation’
The Department confirmed it is preparing to update its traffic signs manual after the report found the sheer number of signs to be ‘unsustainable’
It recommended that entire categories of signs should be scrapped, with a suggestion that nine in ten should be taken down