Most drivers do not trust ‘road ahead closed’ signs, RAC research finds
More than half of drivers find the red “road ahead closed” signs they see on Britain’s roads uninformative, new research from the RAC has found.
The motoring organisation’s poll of drivers found 57 per cent thought the common red and white signs were missing key details.
Among those who found the signs uninformative, 60 per cent said the signs did not state which road was closed, and 56 per cent said they did not say how far ahead the closure was.
Some 93 per cent of all drivers surveyed said they wanted councils and contractors to provide more information about closures.
Only 30 per cent of drivers said they always followed yellow diversion signs after seeing a “road ahead closed” sign.
Of those who did not, 70 per cent said they relied on local knowledge to find an alternative route, 58 per cent worried the official diversion would take them miles out of their way, and 52 per cent said they followed their sat-nav instead.
A further 34 per cent drove on in the hope the closed road was not the one they were on, while 25 per cent said they drove as far as possible to take another road off before reaching the closure.
Simon Williams, RAC head of policy, said “‘road ahead closed’ signs are not fit for purpose”.
He said drivers were not taking official diversion routes, which could affect traffic flow and create dangerous situations around essential maintenance works.
Williams said signs should include which road was closed and ideally for how long, so drivers would be less likely to ignore official advice.
Drivers in Flintshire will see the signs in question from Tuesday, when the St David’s Park Road arm of St David’s roundabout in Ewloe closes for three weeks.
The closure runs from 8am on Tuesday 5 May to 8am on Monday 25 May, weekdays only.
Flintshire County Council said no access on to or off the roundabout from St David’s Road would be permitted during that period, with traffic diverted via Wood Lane.
The council said all local businesses would remain open as usual.
The closure is the next phase of the £900,000 Ewloe Active Travel Scheme, which began on 25 January.
The roundabout, near the council’s offices, is being upgraded to a Dutch-style layout in which vehicles must give way to pedestrians and cyclists at parallel crossings on each arm.
The footway is being widened to a minimum of three metres.
The scheme is part-funded by the Welsh Government’s Active Travel Fund.
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