Following a shock report from the Road Research Laboratory at Crowthorne, Berkshire, the Ministry of Transport today announced that it will be removing solar-powered roadside signage over the coming months. Some £12 billion has been spent on solar-powered signage over the past 3 years.
RRL discovered, during an intensive 18 month investigation across the length and breadth of the UK, that motorists actually speed up when they approach these signs – just to make them light up so they can see what they say.
“We analysed road traffic accident statistics where these signs have been installed. They appeared to give rise to a 7% increase in speed related accidents. These road signs will all be removed by the end of the summer and will not be replaced. They were all erected right next to traditional red, black and white metal signs anyway, so motorists will not be deprived of any vital information by their removal. It has become apparent to us that these signs were nice to have, but not much more.”
The digital sign panels will be scrapped, but the government plans to dispose of the solar panels on eBay.
