Category Archives: Road signs

Howe calls for metrication progress

Posted on 2012-05-15 by Erithacus

Lord Howe of Aberavon, the former Conservative Chancellor and Deputy Prime Minister, intervened in the Queen’s Speech debate on Tuesday to reiterate his call for the Government to complete the conversion of the UK’s weights and measures to metric units. … Continue reading →

Posted in Consumer affairs, General, Road signs | Tagged , , , , | 30 Comments

Fire hydrant signs – a successful metric conversion

Posted on 2012-05-03 by derekp

Metric Views looks at a successful but unsung project that took place during the early years of the UK’s metric transition. We speculate what might have occurred had this job been the responsibility, not of local government, but of the … Continue reading →

Posted in General, History, Road signs, Technical | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

Transport for London raises the bar on vehicle signs

Posted on 2012-04-04 by admin

Metric Views is pleased to give credit where it’s due, and this week it is due to Transport for London (TfL) for raising the bar on the signage of vehicle restrictions. We have previously criticised the signing at the Rotherhithe … Continue reading →

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

DfT admits: no basis for blocking metric signs

Posted on 2012-03-16 by Erithacus

After finally admitting they were wrong to try to withhold this information, the DfT have now published their analysis of the responses to their earlier consultation on the proposed phasing out of imperial-only height and width restriction traffic signs.  What … Continue reading →

Posted in General, Road signs, Transport | Tagged , , , , , , | 31 Comments

Speed, momentum and resistance

Posted on 2012-02-09 by ronniec

Which is preferable: a swift metric transition or a leisurely one? UKMA would have preferred the former. Successive UK governments have opted for the latter, believing that it carries less risk to their popularity. Ronnie Cohen assesses progress.

Posted in Consumer affairs, General, Media, Road signs | Tagged , , , , | 9 Comments

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 , , , , , , , | 28 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 , , | 15 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 , , , , , , , | 22 Comments