Page:Report of the Traffic Signs Committee (1963).pdf/100

 Local authorities should place more emphasis upon specialised traffic engineering. Departments should give more positive guidance as to the frequency of signs and carriageway markings, their mounting and siting in relation to traffic speeds and volumes. Official Regulations and Directions should be supplemented by an illustrated and simply expressed manual. There should be more courses on traffic engineering and adequate opportunity for local authority staff to attend them. Maintenance grants should be made conditional upon proper inspection and maintenance of signs. There should be closer surveillance by Departments of the signing of Primary routes (paragraph 300).

Total conversion should take place within five years from the date on which new Regulations came into force. But all mandatory and prohibitory signs should be changed within two years. All signs on Primary routes should be changed within three years. Co-operation between the highway authorities responsible for Primary routes will be necessary to ensure that the erection of directional signs on these routes is properly phased. Highway authorities should proceed immediately with such planning, surveying and purchasing as can be done in advance of new Regulations (paragraph 302).

This radical transformation of traffic signs will cost some £22 million. The average cost throughout the five year conversion period would be about 2 times that of continuing with existing signs but there will be considerably reduced annual expenditure for some years following (paragraph 303).

If a conversion period of more than five years is adopted, the recommended priorities should be retained but should be extended proportionately (paragraph 304).

Extensive and careful publicity will be necessary before and during the change over to ensure that the new symbolic signs are understood. Knowledge of the new signs should be required at driving tests, and those already qualified to drive should be required to state, when renewing their licences, that they have read the latest edition of the Highway Code and that they understand the new signs. Revision of the Highway Code to include these signs and production of a brochure illustrating them will be necessary.

The co-operation of press, radio, television, schools, local authorities, motoring organisations and oil, motor car and tyre companies is hoped for in any publicity campaign (paragraph 305).