Vol. 540 No. 1
122 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the measures in place to co-ordinate signposting throughout the country; his views on the need to have all signposting in kilometres; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19933/01]
The Road Traffic (Signs) Regulations 1997 and 1998 prescribe regulatory traffic signs which include upright signs, road markings, traffic lights and other devices. The Traffic Signs Manual published by the Department in 1996 provides information on traffic signs and road markings generally, including information and warning signs; a copy of the manual is in the Oireachtas Library. The manual provides a comprehensive guide to the provision of road signage in Ireland and sets out the technical and other standards to be followed in the provision and maintenance of signs. The use of the manual is intended over time to lead to greater uniformity of practice and to the creation of a more consistent approach to signing generally.
The provision and maintenance of traffic signs is primarily the responsibility of individual local road authorities, in consultation with the Garda Síochána in the case of regulatory signs. The National Roads Authority has assumed direct responsibility for the provision of directional signage and delineation on national roads. In addition, the NRA has published guidelines on Traffic Calming for Towns and Villages on National Routes (1999).
In its role of oversight of the non-national roads programme, my Department issued a circular letter to road authorities in August 1998 emphasising the importance of providing and maintaining a high standard of road signage. My Department's memorandum on grants for non-national roads, which issued on 5 February 2001, again reminded local authorities of the need to bring their signage on the non-national road network up to the standards of the Traffic Signs Manual.
The replacement of road signs showing distances in imperial measurements has been in progress on a phased basis over the past few years on all national roads. The replacement of such signs on non-national roads, which is a much more extensive programme, has also been under way for some time and is continuing against a target completion date of end 2005 recently established by the European Communities (Units of Measurement) (Amendment) Regulations, 2001.
