‘Train’ signs for motorways

What a waste!

What's the point of signs telling people to use the railway once they're already on the motorway?!

And how much does it cost to power these signs? In a time of austerity when cuts are supposedly being made left, right and centre, how can this be a justifiable use of public money?

On the M4, these signs sit there day in and day out displaying the time. I don't know of any car on the road today which doesn't have a clock on permanent display in the cockpit. Even low-voltage displays use some electricity to power them. Just how much do these displays cost to run?

By jrwales on 28 October, 2011, 5:20pm

So.

You have paid for your car, paid to tax it, MOT it, service it, fuel it and then you start out on your journey and come across this sign, You then head to the station and pay an exorbitant parking fee and a ridiculous train fare to get near where you wanted to go possibly slightly quicker, depending on leaves/snow/rain/suicide attempt.

I'm so happy our Government is using our tax £ wisely.

By Gregster on 29 October, 2011, 9:38am

Doesn't this constitute advertising?
Why not: "125 g Cadbury's Dairy Milk just 49p"?

By PedroConejo on 29 October, 2011, 1:38pm

I recently went by train, first time for years. Surprisingly the train did not take me door to door and surprisingly it did not return to my originating station as there were no more trains at the time I wanted to return. leaving me stranded 30 miles from my destination. I had to take a very expensive taxi back to the original station and then my car home, another twenty miles. When will these beuracrats get it into their heads that the train is just a pipe dream and accept reality.

By Jprout on 30 October, 2011, 9:00pm

More things to distract you while driving.

By dilbert1969 on 31 October, 2011, 10:03am

Government and the Hammond's of this world don't live in the real world.

I travel 8.7 miles to work every day it takes me 25 minutes by car.

If l used the train it would take me 2.5 hours each way if l used the train with a walk at each end.

Why would anybody use a very expensive rip of train thats 10 times worse than Ryan Air at getting you point to point?

Milton Keynes concrete cows are 10 times more useful than these signs.

By IvorBiggen on 31 October, 2011, 12:47pm

British Rail £200 Return for my family of 4 to Birmingham

£10 of diesel would get my family there and back.

Expensive £200 train journeys with another £50 in taxi's to get you point to point at each end on a MP like Phillip Hammond could afford it. Hard working man can't afford such luxuries .

By IvorBiggen on 31 October, 2011, 1:07pm

Good grief!

Spot on Gregster.

I rarely use the trains ( expensive, inconvenient, unreliable, usually end up sitting next to Vicky Pollard or her unwashed male relative), but on the last few occasions it has cost me more than if I'd driven (even when I had my Impreza!), an additional £10-15 on taxis (tried buses - they were late & I missed my train), and I end up still 1hr from where I need to be.

All this will do is make people ignore these signs, so early warning of queues / accidents will go amiss!

By Rotorhead on 31 October, 2011, 3:23pm

Useless information

These information signs in Scotland regularly read 'Car Share, Reduce Congestion, Cut Pollution'. Well, if the Government was really that concerned about congestion and pollution they would re-phase traffic signals to ease the flow of traffic, not phase them to deliberately cause congestion at peak times. Also, they would stop this latest craze of turning perfectly serviceable roundabouts (and newly constructed ones) into congestion-causing junctions by 'polluting' them with umpteen sets of traffic lights controlling the flow of traffic 24 hours a day. If we must have them at all, why not switch them off during off-peak hours......but then that would be just too sensible !!

By erly5 on 1 November, 2011, 12:13am

IDIOTS

Outrageous...these signs are there to impart useful information about the road ahead....i am sick of these little confuscion phrases they trot out.

when visiting friends in North Carolina more than 10 yrs go they explained that the overhead signs were only used there to direct traffic for large sporting events and in the case of accidents and they could count on the fingers of one hand the number of times they had seen them in use.

They should only be used for their purpose because otherwise everyone ignores them.

By marko9910 on 1 November, 2011, 9:53am

Clueless idiots

More distractions , cause accidents then blame it on the motorist.

By Themangood on 1 November, 2011, 3:00pm

I wonder why I bother!

I echo what others have written. The proposal is wrong, on so many levels.

By Chrisandrea on 1 November, 2011, 8:49pm

They should put up useful info

These signs should display "Keep left except when overtaking" "Keep your distance" and other instructions to the bad drivers. If I was in the control room these messages would be followed by the shortened version of Richard Head!!

By jagman53 on 8 November, 2011, 5:09pm