Roadworks are a common feature on the highway network; they cause both traffic delays and increased risk of accidents. The importance of consistent signing standards at roadworks sites to minimise such effects is recognised by the publication of the Department of Transport et al.: "Traffic Signs Manual : Chapter 8". Traffic safety measures and signs for roadworks and temporary situations", published by HMSO, 1991 (see IRRD 842870). The Department has monitored signing standards at roadwork sites since the early 1970's, and the purpose of this study was to determine present standards of signing at roadworks on trunk and principal roads and to comment on how compliance with the standards has changed with time. The main component of the study involved undertaking surveys along a pre-determined 1600km route originally used by TRRL in the 1970 studies and collecting data at each site including geometric details; traffic flows and speeds; the location and size of every sign; details of the bodies undertaking the works; and the purpose of the roadworks. The report presents the results of these surveys. Two of the main findings are that relatively few roadworks are correctly signed, and that the frequencies of the roadworks have remained almost constant since the initial surveys in the 1970's. This work was carried out under contract by the Tucker Parry Knowles Partnership for the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL).
Samenvatting