IHE reviewing new TSRGD guidelines

The Institute of Highway Engineers (IHE) is working with the Department for Transport (DfT) to review the new schedules for the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions (TSRGD) to be released next year.

The Institute is the UK’s leading professional body for signing and its traffic signs panel team was approached by the DfT to assist in checking new TSRGD schedules.

Traffic signs panel chair Simon Morgan said: ?The IHE responded to the DfT’s recent TSRGD consultation and while we welcomed the flexibility that the proposed changes would provide, we also expressed concerns that the needs of the road users needed further consideration.

"IHE’s traffic signs panel outlined concerns on two key points which had the potential to cause safety problems that could lead to collisions and casualties.

"In particular, the panel felt that removing the ability of traffic engineers to indicate road status and priority on map-type signs would be a dangerous and retrograde step.

"We were also concerned that abandoning the current requirement for DfT approval for ‘Stop’ signs at priority junctions would ultimately result in their proliferation. This would reduce respect for these vital signs which could be detrimental to road safety at dangerous junctions with severely restricted visibility.

"The panel is working with the DfT to check the new schedules and ensure that all existing prescribed and commonly authorised signs are available with the new regulations by reviewing and providing feedback on the signs and markings in the Traffic Signs Manual."

The final TSRGD document will be released next year.