David Andrews
Question:151 Mr. Andrews asked the Minister for the Environment the reason signposting in tourist districts has not improved since 1995 in view of consultations held with the Department of the Environment. [10340/96]
Written Answers. - Signposting in Tourist Areas.
Overall responsibility for the provisions of traffic signs on the national road network is a matter for the National Roads Authority.
Responsibility for signposting on non-national roads is a matter for each local road authority; funding of such signs falls to be met from road authorities' own resources, which are supplemented by the annual discretionary grants provided by my Department.
As a means of improving signposting in tourist areas, in particular, special grants totalling £650,000 were paid by my Department to local authorities between 1987 and 1994 to supplement their own expenditure on the provision of road signs.
In addition, a special grant of £150,000 was allocated in 1995 under the DTI traffic management grants scheme to improve directional signage related to Dublin Airport and the ferry-ports. The provisions of additional funding under this scheme in 1996 and future years is a matter for the Dublin Transportation Office to whom the administration of the scheme has been devolved.
A comprehensive traffic signs manual, setting out the standards required for all types of road signs, is being prepared at present by my Department for use by road authorities. This will help to ensure that there is uniformity of practice in the provision of signs on all classes of roads. I intend to launch the manual as soon as possible and I am confident that it will lead to significant improvements in traffic signage througout the country.