SIGN OF THE TIMES

Drivers travelling through Britain’s most popular National Park, are being subjected to information overload, claim Friends of the Peak District, the countryside watchdog which campaigns for the protection of the area.

The clutter of traffic signs on roads through the National Park are now spoiling its precious landscapes, say the Friends, who are calling for a Park-wide audit of signs and a blanket 40 mph speed limit throughout the 555-square-mile area,

The A57 Snake Pass, one of the wildest routes across the National Park, is now defaced with more than 200 urban-type road signs which severely harm the special character of the area and travellers’ appreciation of it.

While we welcome the intended lower speed limit of 50mph on the Snake Pass, the continuous bombardment with signs could result in drivers reading the signs and not the road, or becoming confused by the information overload, said Anne Robinson, chair of the Friends of the Peak. And many of the new signs have a highly fluorescent yellow background which can actually blind drivers at night.

On the A623 near Tideswell Moor there is a cluster of at least 25 signs within a distance of 700 metres, including accident reduction signs, double bend signs, count down signs to a junction, yellow fluorescent chevrons and spare poles – and a speed camera warning sign.

Overall, the road signs are getting bigger, higher, brighter, and are appearing in duplicate, said Anne. There are much less intrusive ways of slowing speeds, such as ground level signs and roundels on the road. Even more important is that drivers should be encouraged to read the road through better education.

FPD say that the National Park Authority should work in partnership with all relevant Highways Authorities to undertake a Park-wide audit of signs, and implement a blanket 40mph speed limit throughout the Park. This could be their response to the recent Department of Transport circular ‘Setting Local Speed Limits’.