Skip to main content

No punctuation

Local authorities in various parts of the UK are opting to remove punctuation marks from roadsigns so as to remove confusion. The move comes in the wake of numerous complaints from concerned members of the public that roadsigns contain incorrect grammar. The authorities in the UK's second largest city, Birmingham, have already taken steps to remove apostrophes from roadsigns because council staff spend too much time dealing with complaints over the correct use of punctuation on signs. The Apostrophe Protect
July 6, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
Local authorities in various parts of the UK are opting to remove punctuation marks from roadsigns so as to remove confusion. The move comes in the wake of numerous complaints from concerned members of the public that roadsigns contain incorrect grammar. The authorities in the UK's second largest city, Birmingham, have already taken steps to remove apostrophes from roadsigns because council staff spend too much time dealing with complaints over the correct use of punctuation on signs. The Apostrophe Protection Society has criticised the move while the Plain English Campaign has refuted suggestions from some official sources that it ruled in favour of the removal of apostrophes from roadsigns. Road safety campaigners are not thought to be prioritising the risks posed by vehicle occupants arguing over the correct use of an apostrophe and whether or not a word is possessive or an abbreviation as a threat to other road users.

Related Content

  • Notified Bodies in the field of Vehicle Restraint Systems; ERF calls for a level playing field
    June 8, 2015
    Within the framework of the completion of the internal market, the Member States of the European Union approved the Construction Products Regulation in 2011 Its objective is clear and simple: break down barriers in the field of construction products and create a uniform system of certification that is based on mutual recognition.
  • Hacking sign
    January 27, 2017
    Drivers in Canadian capital Ottawa had something of a surprise recently when a hacked roadsign started warning them of zombies. The roadsign also flashed up messages using a number other words that are rather less suitable for repetition in print. Local police said they would not investigate unless a complaint was received and drivers have been seemingly too amused to do so, despite the use of language.
  • Data collection key to software developments
    February 13, 2012
    The collection and handling of data are key technology drivers in the software sector. New methods of data collection and manipulation are driving significant developments in software at present. The latest technology allows designers and engineers to collect, store and manipulate ever larger amounts of data. Growing use of mobile field equipment for both data collection and field management is driving interactive systems. And in an interview this month Autodesk senior vice-president for the construction an
  • Road repairs needed across the UK
    May 12, 2020
    Road repairs are needed across much of the UK.