Road markings on many of Britain's roads fading, report finds

Britain's most dangerous roads have the most worn out centre-line markings of all

A new LifeLines report shows that nearly a third of the length of Britain's single carriageway A roads white lines are so worn out they do not meet recognised standards.

 The report, released by the Road Safety Marking Association (RMSA), outlines the assessment of more than 1,500 miles of the network, and finds that Britain's most dangerous roads have the most worn out centre-line markings of all.

Of more than 60 single-carriageway A-roads surveyed, totalling more than 1,000 miles, 14 per cent of road markings on average are completely worn out and a further 15 per cent fall into the 'amber' zone and immediately should be scheduled for replacement.

Of the 470 miles of A roads and motorways surveyed, one in five falls below the minimum specifiable standard and should be scheduled for replacement while eight per cent have centre line markings so worn that they are barely visible.

Some markings, however, are up to scratch.39 per cent dual carriageways and 38 per cent motorways make the recommended rating used by the industry but there has been a significant drop in the quality since 2008, when 69 per cent of markings on duals reached this grade and 49 per cent on motorways.

Two single carriageway A-roads stand out in the LifeLines Report - a 14-mile stretch of the A1133 in the East Midlands, where three-quarters of the road markings are up to the standard and ten miles of the A63 between Leeds and Hull coming a close second.

The A303 dual carriageway has 86 per cent high quality markings and the M65 in Lancashire has 91 per cent.

George Lee, national director of the RSMA said: “The RSMA is concerned that Highways Agency ratings for road markings have never been formally adopted by local authorities, leading to inconsistent maintenance standards on UK roads and the potential for the significant maintenance shortfalls identified in the RSMA report."

Further information:
Road Safety Markings Association