Skip to main content

Britain's white line road markings a safety hazard

White lines on nearly a third of Britain’s single-carriageway A-roads are so worn out they do not meet recognised standards, according to the LifeLines Report from the Road Safety Marking Association (RSMA).
February 21, 2012 Read time: 1 min
White lines on nearly a third of Britain’s single-carriageway A-roads are so worn out they do not meet recognised standards, according to the LifeLines Report from the Road Safety Marking Association (RSMA). The assessment of more than 2,400km of the network also reveals that Britain’s most dangerous roads have the most worn-out centre-line markings of all, leaving drivers “clueless when trying to read the road.” Two-thirds of all UK road deaths and serious injuries are on rural A-roads, and of over 1,600km of such roads surveyed, on average 14% of road markings are completely worn out, and 15% fall into the “amber” zone and should immediately be scheduled for replacement. Only 29% of lines reach the acceptable level of visibility.
George Lee, national director of the RSMA, said: “I believe that this year’s LifeLines Report presents evidence of sufficient public concern to merit an inquiry by Parliament’s Transport Select Committee, and that’s something we will seek.”

Related Content

  • Australia’s need for better road safety
    November 18, 2019
    Australia needs to improve its road safety significantly, according to the Australian Automobile Association (AAA). Despite plans to reduce the road casualty rate from the Australian Government, safety targets have not been achieved. A new report from the AAA has revealed the shortcomings of the safety strategy previously set out by the Australian Government. In 2011 the National Road Safety Strategy was set to lower road deaths and serious injuries by 30% by 2020. However the targets on improving road sa
  • Effective signage and road markings boost road safety
    February 24, 2012
    Effective signage and the use of roadmarkings in the most effective manner can reduce risks for all road users - Mike Woof writes
  • Advances in road markings
    March 16, 2012
    Recent months have seen many major and vital road marking projects and products completed and tested in different parts of the world. Guy Woodford looks at some of them in Europe, North America, the Middle East and Africa. The London borough of Kensington and Chelsea now has one of the most dramatic streetscape designs in Europe. Exhibition Road’s striking chequered granite design, featuring a single surface running from South Kensington Station to Hyde Park and the full width of the road from building to b
  • US labour shortage: an ever-growing problem
    May 31, 2022
    It’s a tight labour market that is hurting the construction sector. But there are ways to ensure a company has the best possible recruitment drive, according to the AEM, Association of Equipment Manufacturers*.