Category Archives: Road signs

FAQs about the transition to metric signs on UK roads

Posted on 2012-01-27 by ronniec

Readers have commented recently on the obstacles to the transition to metric-only signs on Britain’s roads. This has prompted Metric Views to offer answers to some Frequently Asked Questions on this subject.

Posted in History, Law, Road signs, Transport | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Why I became involved with measurement matters

Posted on 2012-01-20 by ronniec

One of our readers has written to explain why he became interested in the campaign to complete Britain’s prolonged metric changeover.

Posted in Consumer affairs, Education, Health, Road signs, Science, Technical, Transport | Tagged , , | 14 Comments

DfT rejects industry view on metric signs

Posted on 2012-01-02 by Erithacus

The Department for Transport (DfT) has given in to anti-metric lobbying and backtracked on its earlier proposal that imperial-only height and width restriction signs should be replaced with dual metric/imperial signs within four years.  This climbdown is despite the responses … Continue reading →

Posted in General, Road signs, Transport | Tagged , , , , , , , | 21 Comments

Heading for the exit?

Posted on 2011-12-10 by derekp

Problems of sovereign debt in the eurozone have seen the UK side-tracked in EU decision making, and, say some commentators, headed for the exit. Is this situation likely to impact on the UK’s stalled metric changeover?

Posted in Consumer affairs, Education, General, History, Road signs | Tagged , , | 8 Comments

Who should pay for metrication of road signs?

Posted on 2011-12-02 by Erithacus

The Department for Transport have claimed that converting road signs to show metric units would be an unjustifiable diversion of resources from other priority areas.  So is there an argument that the costs should be met from some other budget?  … Continue reading →

Posted in General, Road signs, Transport | Tagged , , , , , , , | 18 Comments

Review fails to address major traffic sign issues

Posted on 2011-10-16 by Isaac

A three-year review of traffic signs has failed to address major problems with the UK’s signs.

Posted in Law, Road signs, Transport | Tagged , , , , , | 19 Comments

Spotlight falls (again) on the high cost of construction in the UK

Posted on 2011-10-10 by derekp

The magazine New Civil Engineer (NCE) reports this week on a recent conference in Barcelona which highlighted the wide difference between the cost of infrastructure in the UK and on the continent. So it seems that the inflated 2006 estimate … Continue reading →

Posted in General, Road signs, Transport | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

Road safety experts ignore UK sign problems

Posted on 2011-07-24 by Isaac

A recent report into the safety implications of variations in road signs across Europe has ignored problems caused by the UK’s continued use of imperial units.

Posted in Law, Road signs, Transport | Tagged , , , | 55 Comments

Spain discredits DfT’s case against metric signs

Posted on 2011-03-11 by tonyw

The Spanish government this week exposed the Department for Transport’s case against adopting metric road signs in the UK as flawed. While the DfT maintains that it must allow an average of around £1400 to change our road signs, Spain this week changed all its motorway speed limit signs for an average cost of just €41, or £35.
Continue reading →

Posted in General, Road signs, Transport | Tagged , , , | 9 Comments

How decimalisation succeeded while metrication stalled

Posted on 2011-02-07 by Erithacus

The media like nothing better than an anniversary, so it was predictable that the 40th anniversary of “decimal day” – 15 February, 1971, when the UK finally gave up its archaic and inconvenient coinage and currency – would get a … Continue reading →

Posted in General, History, Media, Road signs | Tagged , , , | 13 Comments