HC Deb 08 December 1937 vol 330 cc389-90
66. Mr. Woods

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will consider the advisability of adopting the international code of road signing?

Mr. Burgin

Regulations under the Road Traffic Acts provide for the use on roads in this country of a number of the international signs, but in my view it is inadvisable to commit this country to the adoption of all the signs used abroad.

67. Mr. Woods

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware of the inadequacy and lack of uniformity in road signing on secondary roads and routes through towns; and whether he is taking any steps to achieve any improvement?

Mr. Burgin

A new system of directional signposting on classified roads was recommended by the Departmental Committee on Traffic Signs (1933), and substantial progress has been and is being made by highway authorities in its adoption. I have received no serious complaint of the inadequacy of signposting on unclassified roads, but if the hon. Member has any particular district in mind, I shall be glad to make inquiries.

Sir Francis Fremantle

Will my right hon. Friend include in his inquiries the fact that a very large number of streets about London and so on have no labels on the corners and that it is impossible to know where you are going to?

Mr. Woods

Will the right hon. Gentleman deal with the question of the towns, and is he not of opinion that a good deal of unnecessary congestion exists in large towns and that a great deal of that is due to motorists losing their way because of the inadequacy of the signing through towns?