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Join the action against metric signage

A large number of county councils have for some time been installing metric road and pedestrian signs, such as "Speed Humps 20m" or "Tourist Information > 150m". This is despite the fact that Britain is under no obligation to do so under EC directive 89/617 which grants Britain an exemption from metric for road signs.

What is not so well known is that is that, under British law, the metric road and pedestrian signs being installed by local councils are illegal. The 1994 Traffic Signs Regulations state:

* It is not lawful to use signs that show distances in metres or kilometres. This applies to both road traffic signs and pavement signs for pedestrians (although not to signs on private land).
* Signs giving restrictions on traffic width, length and weight must be in imperial units. Metric may be used in addition to traditional units but only on separate signs, since the law does not permit "dual-marking".
* Dual-marked signs are legal for height restriction signs. Imperial-only signs are also legal but metric-only signs are not.

The Government's position

The Department of the Environment, Transport and Regions (DETR) says that the government has "no plans to replace imperial signs with metric signs until the majority of drivers have been educated in the metric system. Given that a UK driving licence is valid until the holder reaches 70... it will be some time before the present government considers the need to change our signs" (letter, 6/9/00).

Notwithstanding the fact that most people of all ages think in miles rather than kilometres, the number of drivers who have had metric education will become a majority in 2006. Thus, we can expect kilometre "K-Day" to be on the government's agenda in less than six years' time.

BWMA strategy

Whatever the views of the present government, BWMA believes that the introduction of metres on road and pedestrian signs now will act as a bridgehead for future governments wishing to abolish the mile and adopt the kilometre.

BWMA is therefore launching a campaign to purge metric signs from every corner of the United Kingdom. Rolling back the metric conversion of road and pedestrian signs will send a message to future governments that we will never accept the use of kilometres for road signs.

How you can help

To achieve our goal, we need your help. The signs we need to target are:

* All directional signs showing metric distances.
* Any metric sign showing restrictions on traffic width, length and weight (so long as there are no corresponding imperial signs in the vicinity).
* All metric-only height restriction signs.

We suggest that members use the following plan of action:

i. Locate metric signs. Take two photographs. Send one photograph to BMWA with the date taken and location written on the back so that we may compile a national file. Disposable cameras are available at little cost.

ii. Write a polite letter to the transportation or highway department of the relevant county council, pointing out that the sign is illegal under the Traffic Signs Regulations 1994. Ask them to replace it with a sign showing yards (do not ask them merely to remove the sign; we want yards re-introduced). The address will be in the telephone directory under the name of the county council.

iii. If the local authority does not comply, write to the Traffic Signs Policy Branch of the DETR (at Zone 3/21, Great Minster House, 76 Marsham Street, London SW1P 4DR), informing them that your local authority is acting illegally. Ask the DETR to write to the local authority to explain the law.

iv. Do not enter debates with local councils about arguments for and against metric conversion of signage (e.g. to help tourists). If a local authority believes that metre signs are beneficial, then it is up to them to have the law changed. Until then, you need only argue that they must comply with the law.

v. Send copies of letters from local authorities to BWMA.

vi. If and when a metric sign is replaced with an imperial sign, take a photograph of the new sign from the same perspective as the previous (metric) photograph to illustrate "before and after". Send both photographs to your local newspaper with a covering letter to create publicity and to show the metric tide is turning.

BWMA will meanwhile be co-ordinating national press coverage and making representations to central government for active enforcement of the law. We want these signs removed completely.

Local press

If you can initiate a debate in the local press, the following points may be useful:

* Metric signs are less accurate than customary signs. For example, using metres to describe the width of bridges (e.g. 4.4m) achieves an accuracy of only one tenth of a metre, or about four inches. Imperial signs (e.g. 14'6") are accurate to within one inch.

* The view that metric signs help Continental tourists is logically negated by the inconvenience caused to American tourists. In practice, Continental tourists are often interested by signs showing miles, yards, feet and inches, while Americans are delighted to discover that they are not alone in using them. Dual yard/metre and mile/kilometre signs should only be allowed in Britain on the condition that similar signs be adopted across the Continent.

* Altogether, there are 2.5 million signs in England alone, of which perhaps 2 million make some reference to distance or speed. The cost of replacing this number of signs is huge. Changing to kilometres may confuse motorists as to speed limits. This will male enforcement of speed limits more complicated and increase the likelihood of accidents.

* A 1995 Gallup survey found 95% of people in Britain think in miles compared to 3% for kilometres.

Kilometre? Kill-the-metre!



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