Changes to Road Sign Regulations Are Coming

There are a number of changes in legislation coming into force across Britain. April 22nd sees The Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016 replace those set in 2002.

The changes include:

• Councils making junctions safer for cyclists by installing eye-level cycle traffic lights.
• New road signs will be required to display imperial and metric measurements when displaying height, length and width limits.
• If street lights are turned off during part of the hours of darkness, then signs must be retro reflective.
• The need for a Traffic Regulation Order for unrestricted parking bays will be removed.
• The mounting and backing of permanent signs will apply to temporary and portable message signs too.

Perhaps the biggest change under the new legislation is local authorities can now make decisions on how many speed limit signs are required on the roads. This gives council’s authority to remove road signs deemed pointless, which is estimated to save £30m in taxpayers’ cash by 2020.