Village trials sat-nav warning signs

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Welsh Assembly approves trial
Signs come after lorries get stuck
Drivers ignore traditional signs

Latest News

The village of St Hilary, in the Vale of Glamorgan, has become the first area to trial signs that warn lorry drivers to ignore their satellite-navigation systems.

The signs, which have a picture of a lorry and a satellite with a red line through them, have been erected on the A48.

They warn drivers not to follow their sat-nav's advice to divert through St Hilary as a short-cut between the M4 and Cardiff airport.

The trial comes after several large vehicles became stuck on the narrow section of road, because they ignored traditional narrow-road signs and followed instructions from their sat-navs instead.

The signs were approved by the Welsh Assembly and are on a 12-month trial. Their use could be extended to other sat-nav trouble areas if they are a success.

The sign's designer, traffic engineer Mark Simpson, told the BBC: 'A number of overseas truck drivers are using routes that are clearly signed as unsuitable for heavy goods vehicles.

'After travelling some distance, they cannot proceed any further. Manoeuvring becomes difficult and the vehicle eventually blocks the road for a significant period of time.'

Claire Carter, a spokesman for sat-nav manufacturer Garmin, added that the company was working on products specifically for lorry drivers, in order to combat the problem.

'As road users, lorry drivers are seeing the benefits of sat-nav like everyone else but they don’t contain all the information that a lorry driver might like or find useful, such as bridge heights or weight restrictions,' said Carter.

'This is because sat-nav manufacturers have not yet designed systems specifically for HGV drivers. We – and the industry - are working with third parties to source the information required to cater specifically for lorry drivers.

'A sat-nav can help as a guide in the same way as a paper map can help, offering users with multiple options for journeys. It is up to the individual driver which route they choose.'