Page:Report of the Traffic Signs Committee (1963).pdf/13

 14. Directional signs at main junctions on Primary routes should wherever possible be directly illuminated. There should be a much higher standard of sign illumination generally (paragraph 259).

15. We recommend a more extensive use of 'catseyes', warning lines and lane markings and that carriageway markings be more often laid in reflecting materials (paragraphs 241 and 242).

16. We recommend a new and greatly simplified system of signs consistent with Continental practice to indicate restrictions on waiting, loading and un-loading, applicable also to clearways (paragraph 85).

This new system will make some contribution to the reduction of urban clutter. This object will be assisted if local authorities can reduce the present complexities of their traffic restriction Orders.

17. In urban areas more serious attention should be paid by highway authorities to preventing traffic signs from becoming lost in a confusion of advertisements, ill co-ordinated street furniture or an excessive number of other traffic signs where old signs have been superseded and not removed. Powers exist to have advertisements removed where they impede the visibility of traffic signs so as to prejudice safety and these powers should be more often used (paragraphs 291 and 292).

18. There should be more frequent inspection of traffic signs to ensure that they are kept clean, unobscured and in good repair (paragraphs 286 and 287).

19. There should be greater uniformity throughout the country in the use of traffic signs. It is impracticable to make it an entirely central responsibility but if official directions as to the use of traffic signs were made more explicit and were supplemented by a simply expressed and illustrated manual for highway authorities we think that a higher standard of uniformity could be achieved.

The Departments will no doubt consult local highway authorities about the determination of the initial Primary route system and about procedures for achieving uniformity in the signing of Primary routes (paragraph 300).

20. We are conscious that the changes we have advocated will entail increased costs for highway authorities. But we regard this as necessary to meet present traffic needs and more than ever essential in view of the great rise in traffic volume which faces us in the years ahead (paragraph 303).

21. We believe it to be in the interests of traffic flow and road safety that the change-over to new traffic signs should be made as quickly as possible. We think it could and should be done in five years from the introduction ofnew Regulations. Mandatory and prohibitory signs should be changed first since it is important that signs carrying penalties for non-observance should be uniform throughout the country as soon as possible, and the aim should be to achieve this within two years. All signs on Primary routes should be changed within three years (paragraph 302).

22. The recommendations in our report involve considerable changes from current practice and in signs with which the public have been familiar over