Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department plans to reduce the number of unnecessary road signs.

Local authorities (and Highways England for the strategic road network) are responsible for the installation and removal of all traffic signs, including temporary ones. It is for them to ensure any temporary signs placed do not stay in place beyond the legal time limit.

Reducing sign clutter was one of the principle aims of the recent revision of the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions (TSRGD). This came into force on 22 April 2016, and relaxed many requirements on the use and placing of signs to enable local authorities to place fewer signs.

DfT Circular 01/2016 published alongside TSRGD 2016 includes a section on decluttering, highlighting these changes and making it clear that the Department expects authorities to make use of these to reduce the amount of sign clutter on the roads.

We are in the process of revising our good practice guidance on sign design and placement, the Traffic Signs Manual, to reflect the changes made in TSRGD. This will emphasise decluttering throughout.