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Road signs provide essential information for road users and promote road safety. But sometimes there are too many signs. Roadside clutter can create confusion, distract motorists and can deface the rural landscape. Not all road signs are essential, and sometimes they are far too large. Often they are combined with artificial gates, dummy cattle grids, red painted roads and white roundels. When used together, they make a rural landscape look urban and a calm village look busy and restless. Moreover, rumble strips and humps add considerably to traffic noise.

CPRE Oxfordshire believes that a balance is needed. Road safety is paramount, and lower traffic speeds help promote an atmosphere of tranquillity. But we think we have gone too far and that there is too much clutter on Oxfordshire's roads. We believe the quantity of signage and road marking is such that it is distracting motorists rather than informing them.

CPRE Oxfordshire has called on Oxfordshire County Council to reduce sign clutter throughout the road system. Action is particularly needed along the former trunk and main roads where signage has been proliferating for many years. The impact on the visual environment is sometimes severe, especially near settlements, whilst 'information overload' means that the road safety benefits of clear directions are probably being eroded. Another outcome would be a worthwhile saving in maintenance and replacement costs.

It is now more than 20 years since the first permanent road humps to improve safety were installed in Banbury. The County led the way in physical speed control under heavy-handed Ministry regulation, since relaxed. This is a typical example of where intrusive signage could now be reduced in urban areas, in addition to major streetscape schemes. There is also growing evidence that lines and other guidance that help motorists speed through village streets, is counter-productive. Not only are 'traffic aids' unsightly, and spoil the streetscape, they cost money to maintain.

CPRE's clutter challenge to local authorities

Traffic calming at Bampton: too much clutter?

CPRE's five point clutter challenge urges authorities to take out unnecessary clutter, and improve the way in which they manage traffic so that they are more in keeping with the surrounding area:

1. Develop a clutter reduction policy in the Local Transport Plan (LTP) to protect and enhance townscape and countryside character, coupled with a bid for additional funding in the plan to help implement it. New LTPs are being drawn up for 2011 onwards.

2. Work with urban designers, landscape professionals, interested groups and the wider public to develop a traffic management manual and design guide.

3. Devise a local target to reduce clutter and undertake a clutter audit across the authority's area.

4. Undertake a clutter free pilot scheme to manage traffic in the countryside during the first two years of the life of the Local Transport Plan.

5. Write to CPRE informing them of the authority's commitment to the clutter challenge and issue a news release to help publicise this in the local media.

Find Out More

Below are a list of links to further information regarding this campaign: