§ Mr. Wallerasked the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of steep hill warning signs on roads for which he is responsible now express gradients in percentage terms, as compared with the form previously used; and whether he has made any assessment of the extent to which motorists correctly interpret their significance.
§ Mrs. ChalkerI regret that this information is not available. We do not have a record of the total number of warning signs. Steep hill warning signs expressing gradients in percentage terms were first prescribed in 1975. Any erected since then must be of the new design, but there is no requirement for signs erected earlier to be replaced until this becomes necessary in the course of normal maintenance. No special assessment has yet been made of the extent to which drivers correctly interpret the significance of the signs.