§ 6. Sir Anthony Meyerasked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will encourage the introduction of commercial advertising into road signposting.
§ Mrs. ChalkerNo, Sir. The introduction of commercial advertising would conflict with the primary purpose of traffic signs, which is to assist road users to get to their destination in safety.
§ Sir Anthony MeyerThat is a most disappointing answer. Will my hon. Friend encourage the officials in the Department, who, if anybody, are responsible for signposting in its present spasmodic and misleading form, to visit France, where they manage to combine commercial advertising with excellent signposting both in the cities and on the open road?
§ Mrs. ChalkerI know that my hon. Friend is enamoured of French signposting. In Britain, we have in the past followed the august reports of a number of bodies. I have put in hand for Kent, and later for Nottinghamshire, two experiments to sign interesting historic places by means of white on brown signs, similar to those in France, of which my hon. Friend has spoken so favourably. We shall monitor those experiments and see what more can be done to ensure that those places offering objects of historic interest are made attractive and known to the road traveller.
§ Mr. FreudBefore the Minister overdoes her encouragement of signposting to places of historic interest, will she bear in mind that most towns and villages are inadequately signposted? As a priority, will she look at the American system, in which all motorway exits signpost what happens if the motorist leaves at that exit, what happens when he reaches the next exit, and the distance to it?
§ Mrs. ChalkerThe hon. Gentleman knows that much of the signposting for towns and villages is the responsibility of county councils. However, I note what he says about displaying on the signpost exactly how far the next exit is. Our problem is that the more words we put on a signpost, the longer the motorist's attention will be distracted. I do not wish to do anything that might increase accidents, such as putting too much on signs or having too many of them.
Mr. CoombesIs my hon. Friend aware of the growing amount of graffiti on road safety notices, especially on motorways, in connection with pressure groups such as CND? Is she worried about this developing tendency, and does she have plans to combat it?
§ Mrs. ChalkerAnyone who gets within sufficient distance of a signpost to obliterate part of it or to damage it in some other way is breaking the law by being on the side of the motorway at that point. Officials of the county councils, which are the highway authorities which look after those matters for us, seek to remove such graffiti as quickly as possible. However, it is becoming increasingly expensive to do so, and we must consider how we can make signposts less vulnerable to such attacks.
§ Sir Anthony MeyerOn a point of order, Mr. Speaker. In view of the unsatisfactory nature of the reply, I give notice that I shall seek to raise this matter on the Adjournment.