Road markings are in rapid decline

22 November 2012

The quality of road markings on the UK’s roads is in rapid decline, with the standard of markings on Scotland’s roads almost in free-fall, according to LifeLines, the largest ever survey of 7250km of white lines across roads in England, Scotland and Wales, carried out by the Road Safety Markings Association.

 As the percentage of motorway markings classified as needing immediate replacement by the Highways Agency’s own standard doubled from 8 to 17 per cent in the past two years, the industry believes the Department for Transport and the Highways Agency are failing to grasp the urgency of the problem.

 The report found that: 

• · 40% markings on Scotland’s motorway and dual carriageways need immediate replacement
• · 40% markings on dual carriageways in Wales need immediate replacement
• · 38% of markings on motorways and 36% on dual carriageways maintained by the Highways Agency   in  England need immediate or scheduled repairs
• · 25% of markings on HA single carriageways need replacing now; 19% scheduled