The number of distances known to have been demetricated in the United Kingdom has risen to 2,120 with reports of the following conversions to Imperial reaching us:

(1) Three-fingered footpath sign along River Lee at Lea Bridge Road, LB Waltham Forest

(2) Three-fingered footpath sign along the River Lea between Broxbourne and Cheshunt (close to Slipe Lane)

(3) Sign '200 METRES' to Recycling Bins at Essex Road, Islington converted to '200 yds'.

Those who amended the sign at Broxbourne saw a cyclist coming towards them along the towpath as they completed their task.

The unsolicited comment as he quickly glanced up at the new plates, riding by at about 10mph, was:

"Good. Back in miles. Now I know where I'm going".


LEGAL FOOTNOTE: Lee Valley Park Authority conceded in 2002 that their metric-only footpath signs in the park were illegal, after taking a barrister's advice

Dear council of ARM, alias Tony Bennett

I have some news too.

Metric road signs installations are on the increase.

Should keep you busy. Still, seeing as you have little else to do.

Where?

In Ireland?

In the S.E. (including London) I haven't seen a metric sign in absolute ages!

And I can confirm that S.Wales is the same too.

I can't comment on the North, or Scotland.

re (Stan): "Metric road signs installations are on the increase..."

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REPLY: So far as road distance signs just in metres are concerned, there have been very few reports of new road highway signs in metres. So much so that we can say that the campaign has been highly successful in curbing the sudden appearance of these signs on our roads a few years ago.

Most authorities finally got the message when, in July 2002, the Minister for Transport wrote to all Chief Executives in England and Wales giving them a stiff reminder that every sign on a British road or footpath must be in Imperial.

The same, i.e. non-erection of new signs in metric, applies to footpath signs. Virtually all new footpath and cycle signs are in miles and yards only.

The only exception, where you might be right, is with respect to dual Imperial/metric height and width signs. The 2002 Traffic Signs Regulations authorised, for the first time, new dual unit width signs (i.e., both units could be used on one roundel). This has acted as an impetus for a handful of Councils to go around wasting Council Taxpayers' money erecting brand new dual unit width signs - which are more confusing and use smaller and therefore less visible numbering.

ARM keeps a careful watch on the situation. We believe from surveys carried out in 2002 and late 2003 that the percentage of road widths in Britain in metric as well as Imperial remains less than 1%.

So far as height signs are concerned, we estimated there were under 5% metric-only height signs two years ago. That figure was higher on a few London roads and some major trunk roads, but is balanced out by the virtual non-existence of dual metric/Imperial height signs in rural areas.

There are certainly a few more dual metric/Imperial height signs now, but certainly, still, well under 10% of all height signs.

You would therefore be incorrect in asserting that there are now more 'metric signs' if by that you meant metric-only signs

re (Council of ARM): "The number of distances known to have been demetricated in the United Kingdom has risen to 2,120"

UPDATE: This has now risen to 2,141, after notifications of obliterations or amendments of metric distances at Runnymede, the A34 in Cheshire, Hackney, Wandsworth, Little Bursted (Essex), Lambourn (Essex) and Hutton (Essex). This includes news culled from the latest edition of BWMA's house journal 'The Yardstick'

Is there anything that can be done about the waterways?

I've noticed a very daft speed limit a while back

Steve,

Mrs Thatcher negotoated that miles, yards feet and inches could be used on roadsigns, but not on waterway signs. This of course creates a problem in respect of towpaths - are they "roads" (in which case the TSRGD 2002 has made no provision for metric units) or are they part of the waterway in which case the EU directive requires that metric units be used and prohibits Imperial units.