A.R.M. has received a recent letter from JF of Surrey.

Here is his complaint, and ARM's reply:

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LETTER FROM JF, SURREY:

"There may be work for you and your team to do in Reigate. The Borough Council has erected a “Speed ramps for 200 metres” sign which I am trying to have changed. I’m getting nowhere fast. The County Council (Surrey) are usually pretty good at getting rid of non-compliant signage, but I suspect that they are reluctant to tread on the Borough Council’s toes.

If push comes to shove, how much would it cost to take direct action against the sign? If not too much, I shall be proud to pay.

JF"


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RESPONSE BY ARM:

Active Resistance to Metrication

Reply to: ‘Meadowbank’, 9 Station Cottages, Brampton Road,
HUNTINGDON, Cambs, PE29 3BW Tel: 01480 435837

"Dear JF - 23 October 2005

re: Illegal Metric Sign Erected by Reigate Borough Council

I was very surprised to learn from you that Reigate Borough Council had erected an illegal sign in metres and even more surprised that they had taken no action yet in response to your request that they convert it to yards and so make it legal.

The sign has therefore been added to our national list of illegal metric signs awaiting action.

Unless Reigate Council notify us with 7 days of the date when it will be changed, the sign will be put on our ‘urgent action list’ and will be liable to amendment without further notice being given to the errant Council concerned.

All amendments by the Council of A.R.M. are carried out to a professional standard and using materials which comply with the Traffic Signs Regulations.

I trust you will be able to convince Reigate Borough Council to act without us having to.

You might refer Reigate Council to the letter their Chief Executive received from Mike Talbot, Head of the Traffic Signs Policy Branch at the Department for Transport, in July 2002, reminding all Chief Executives in England and Wales that metric distances on British road and footpath signs are illegal - since they breach the 2002 Traffic Signs Regulations.

Please revert to me if Reigate Council do not intend to comply with the law.

Yours sincerely


Tony Bennett
Secretary
Council of Active Resistance to Metrication"


Copy to Traffic Signs Policy Branch, Department for Transport

ARM whining still not getting through ...

tch tch tch

Must have a *very* long list there.

re (Stan): "Must have a *very* long list there"

REPLY: Well, maybe - but for sure the list of metric signs in existence on British roads and footpaths is getting shorter and shorter all the time.

There are a few rogue metric signs being erected these days, but not many. Reigate is the exception that proves the rule

I have to - sort of - agree with Tony here.

Are you saying that there is an abundance of metric road signs?

<<<There are a few rogue metric signs being erected these days, but not many. Reigate is the exception that proves the rule >>>

Considering that they are illegal, it is hardly surprising that there are very few of them.

But the fact that they are still erected despite this, makes you wonder how many there would be if a choice was allowed, doesn't it?

Could you say the same about Greengrocers?

<<<Could you say the same about Greengrocers?>>>

In the case of greengrocers, given the choice most would undoubtedly have continued to sell in pounds until a time when they considered their customers would prefer prices in kilos.

In the case of road signs, the time has already come when many (I wouldn't say most - yet) are more comfortable with metres than yards. But that common everyday unit of measurement is banned from appearing on road signs!

A true believer in "freedom of choice" would see the banning of the metre on road signs as no less ludicrous than the banning of lbs/ozs

I'm not sure I buy your argument about yards and metres.
I just don't hear it.

Also - they should have lb/oz on prices as well as kg. But I get your point - it's a bit ludicrous to ban it in the first place (which goes for either).

<<
Are you saying that there is an abundance of metric road signs?
>>

A lot more than ARM can handle.

<<
Also - they should have lb/oz on prices as well as kg. But I get your point - it's a bit ludicrous to ban it in the first place (which goes for either).
>>

The display of lb/oz has not been banned, it's only that metric is now compulsory and the scales have to be metric.

The only prosecutions that have taken place is either no metric display at all or for the continued use of imperial scales.

The metric martyrs were not the libertarians they pretended to be. They were enforcing lb/oz just as ARM enforce yd/miles.

Isn't all this getting a bit rusty and old now?


ie the stuff about and abundance of metric signs and the legal status of lb/oz?

re (Stan): The display of lb/oz has not been banned, it's only that metric is now compulsory and the scales have to be metric.

REPLY: "The display of lb/oz has not been banned..." - a classic!

Your real name's not Alistair Campbell, is it?

<<<The display of lb/oz has not been banned>>>

It hasn't...yet