§ 38. Mr. Ernest Daviesasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation why he requested the Oxford County Council to withdraw the directional signs erected on the Oxford to London road.
§ 53. Mr. Langford-Holtasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he will request the Road Research Laboratory to investigate the legibility of traffic signs with the standard black lettering and numbering on a light background in comparison with the signs with white lettering and numbering on a dark background at present being used experimentally on A40 between Sandhills and the Islip Turn; and how the cost would compare for a beaded sign of each type.
§ The Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation (Mr. Harold Watkinson)These signs were originally erected as temporary signs during constructional work. Therefore they did not conform to those authorised under the Road Traffic Acts. I have now decided to approve them on an experimental basis as part of the investigation now being carried out in conjunction with the Road Research Laboratory into the merits of different types of direction signs. I cannot at this stage say anything about comparative costs.
§ Mr. DaviesWhile appreciating that these signs are now to remain, at least temporarily, is it not a fact that three requests were made to the Ministry to remove these signs, and that it was only after adverse public opinion had been expressed that it was agreed to permit them to remain? Is it not also a fact that these signs correspond far more closely to those recommended by the International Convention on Road Signs, and that being the case, why is it that we cannot erect signs which come closer to that Convention to assist both tourists and commercial motorists who come over here?
§ Mr. WatkinsonI think the facts are not as the hon. Gentleman has represented them. The facts are, as I have said, that these signs were erected firstly purely as temporary and diversionary signs. They do not conform to the Acts, and, therefore, my divisional road engineer was in duty bound to say that they had to come down. However, when this matter came to my notice, I thought that this could well be part of the general experiment being made to bring tour signs rather nearer to continental signs, and that is why I allowed them on an experimental basis.
§ Mr. Langford-HoltIs my right hon. Friend aware that the fact that these signs do not conform to the Regulations he has issued does not necessarily mean that they are bad? Will he seriously consider trying to bring the road signs and the regulations which apply thereto more into conformity with either the continental or the international system on the American basis?
§ Mr. WatkinsonI quite agree with my hon. Friend. I do not claim any special merit for the regulations which my Ministry makes, but I must ask my divisional road engineers to implement the law as it stands. I quite agree with my hon. Friend that we must try to get our road signs nearer to the continental signs. The only thing is that if we tried to do that today it would cost over £4 million.
§ Mr. G. R. StraussWill the Minister bear in mind, when considering the whole question of road signs, the fact that most motorists have uppermost in their minds when travelling on country roads the towns they are going to pass through rather than the number of the road? Up to now, the emphasis has been on the wrong thing.
§ Mr. WatkinsonI think most hon. Members of this House will have noticed that road names are getting bigger and road numbers smaller, and I think that is right.