Road markings - legislation and how they are broken

[tegwin]

Here me out - there are regulations and legislation that decree every detail of how a road should be laid out. Signage, road markings, road layout etc etc. Any new build road must comply with these. Makes sense to me.

Chapter 5 of the Traffic signs manual [link] https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5c4... [/link]



So how is it legally acceptable for the very same legislation be ignored on a grand scale?

Driving and cycling through Bristol lately has become a danger game - no lines segregating filter lanes - no give way markings reminding cars they need to stop - its bedlam and quite frankly terrifying.

If such legislation exists - who do we press to enforce it? Can a class action suit be made against those that are failing to abide with the legislation such that someone is held to account?

Perhaps a naïve question - I am no law expert .....but something needs to change.
NB I have purposefully not talked about potholes - Similar issue but the context of this is specifically road markings.

I am a petrol head and a cyclist - We have got to maintain the infrastructure we have before we spend millions on tiny pieces of cycle lane etc. Cyclists (and all road users) would be safer overnight if the roads we currently have were in a condition that meets the standards laid out in the legistlation.

[trickywoo]

My council has a report section on their website which includes worn away / missing road markings. I’ve reported a few and they got painted.

If you have that option try that and put your contact info in and ask for updates. If they don’t get back to or say they are ok you then have something to take to your council rep. Again I have a highways council guy who people contact on local Facebook groups and he’s actually useful.

[PaulD86]

tegwin said:

Here me out - there are regulations and legislation that decree every detail of how a road should be laid out. Signage, road markings, road layout etc etc. Any new build road must comply with these. Makes sense to me.

Chapter 5 of the Traffic signs manual [link] https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5c4... [/link]

Section 1.1.1 of the link you posted and then https://tsrgd.co.uk/pdf/tsrgd/tsrgd2016.pdf

[Simpo Two]

On a similar theme, I notice that catseyes are disappearing. There are sections of road around here where they seem to have been deliberately smashed, and they're not being replaced. They are such a simple and important aid to safer night driving that I don't understand it.

[Pica-Pica]

Simpo Two said:

On a similar theme, I notice that catseyes are disappearing. There are sections of road around here where they seem to have been deliberately smashed, and they're not being replaced. They are such a simple and important aid to safer night driving that I don't understand it.

Reflective paint is better.

[Pica-Pica]

It made my day that the OP typed 'naïve' correctly, when our leading news media fail miserably.

[John D.]

Pica-Pica said:

Simpo Two said:

On a similar theme, I notice that catseyes are disappearing. There are sections of road around here where they seem to have been deliberately smashed, and they're not being replaced. They are such a simple and important aid to safer night driving that I don't understand it.

Reflective paint is better.

Yeah, I think the benefits of cats eyes are a bit overblown.

[E-bmw]

tegwin said:

Can a class action suit be made against those that are failing to abide with the legislation such that someone is held to account?

AFAIK a class action suit needs a group of people to lose out in some way.

Aside of a rant/a few horn beeps what group of people has lost out?

[Simpo Two]

Pica-Pica said:

Simpo Two said:

On a similar theme, I notice that catseyes are disappearing. There are sections of road around here where they seem to have been deliberately smashed, and they're not being replaced. They are such a simple and important aid to safer night driving that I don't understand it.

Reflective paint is better.

Except I don't see them being replaced by reflective paint - and paint will wear off (you know how well our roads are maintained). Catseyes last for decades and self-clean. They also give you notice if you stray onto the line by mistake.

[Biker 1]

Around here there is a road with double yellow lines both sides. There is a section of some 20m where the lines have completely worn away. Can one get away with parking in such circumstances?

[rlw]

Pica-Pica said:

Reflective paint is better.

It isn't when it's covered in st or worn away. What it is, is cheaper.

Cat's eyes are far better since they were designed for the role.

I'm led to believe that cat's eyes are not being replaced in line with government policy, which is that their absence will slow drivers down.

[drmotorsport]

I went to report the illuminated traffic island markers at the end of my road were unlit and somewhat deranged over a year ago and found they were scheduled for replacement. They've only just been replaced 2 weeks ago, and instead of the old school white square bollard with a light bulb the replacements are just flat reflective bits of plastic.

[CHLEMCBC]

you know councils don't have any money, don't you?

[Pica-Pica]

drmotorsport said:

I went to report the illuminated traffic island markers at the end of my road were unlit and somewhat deranged over a year ago and found they were scheduled for replacement. They've only just been replaced 2 weeks ago, and instead of the old school white square bollard with a light bulb the replacements are just flat reflective bits of plastic.

I don't know of many light traffic island markers now. Bright yellow and reflective nowadays.

[Pica-Pica]

Simpo Two said:

Pica-Pica said:

Simpo Two said:

On a similar theme, I notice that catseyes are disappearing. There are sections of road around here where they seem to have been deliberately smashed, and they're not being replaced. They are such a simple and important aid to safer night driving that I don't understand it.

Reflective paint is better.

Except I don't see them being replaced by reflective paint - and paint will wear off (you know how well our roads are maintained). Catseyes last for decades and self-clean. They also give you notice if you stray onto the line by mistake.

The white lines around here give a suitably audible reminder too. They are reflective and ridged in certain areas, and tyres 'sing' when you drive on them

[scorcher]

CHLEMCBC said:

you know councils don't have any money, don't you?

Always find money to waste on building cycle lanes and bus lanes hardly anyone uses.

[PaulD86]

scorcher said:

CHLEMCBC said:

you know councils don't have any money, don't you?

Always find money to waste on building cycle lanes and bus lanes hardly anyone uses.

Are people aware that a lot of money councils receive is ring fenced or comes with set conditions? Believe me, many councils find this as infuriating as the public. Money from funds comes with a "use it as we tell you or lose it" condition. A great many council projects are funded like this. One local to me which has really wound up residents is the result of the previous governments levelling up fund. The optics are pretty bad when there are clearly much better places to spend the money, but it was a take it or leave it and taking it provides jobs and hopefully some local improvements, even if not in the areas most would prioritise.

[CHLEMCBC]

PaulD86 said:

Are people aware that a lot of money councils receive is ring fenced or comes with set conditions?

It would appear not.