Southampton street gets naked

06 October 2008

All road markings removed
Aim is to confuse drivers
Driving incidents expected to drop as a result

Latest News

Southampton has set up a 'naked street' to test a new road safety scheme.

Naked streets have all their signs and markings stripped out in an attempt to make motorists drive more slowly by confusing them.

The practice is already common on the continent, and was pioneered in the Dutch town of Drachten, where removing signs and lights has resulted in a decline in road crash casualties.

Simon Taylor, head of the Southampton project, said: 'By increasing the potential risk of a minor accident, you in fact decrease the chances of it happening because people drive more carefully.'

Brian Gregory, chairman of the Association of British Drivers, said: 'I have grave reservations about this scheme and how it would work at night in an area with bars and clubs.'

'I foresee situations where drunk people will wander off these crossings and be hit by a car.'

If the trial is successful, the scheme is set to be expanded throughout the UK.