Twenty years have passed since the UK Metric Association published “A Very British Mess” (VBM). To mark the twentieth anniversary of the publication of VBM, I look at what has changed since its publication in 2004.
Section 2.6 (a) on page 13 in VBM states, “British Standards utilise the watt 
as the unit of power. However, product documentation still frequently expresses power in horse power (HP) for engines or British thermal units per hour (BTU/h) for central heating boilers.”.
I have checked the specifications recently to see if these units are still used for engines and central heating boilers. Horsepower is still used for engine specifications, especially for vehicles. British thermal units have mostly disappeared for boiler specifications. Boiler specs now use the watt (and its derivatives, e.g. kilowatt) instead.
Section 3.3 (h) on page 18 in VBM states, “Many supermarkets advertise exclusively in imperial even though goods must be priced and weighed in metric at the checkout.”.
The use of imperial units by supermarkets in advertising and pricing has disappeared. Pricing and advertising by supermarkets are now exclusively metric though you may still see imperial units in product descriptions.
Page 22 of VBM shows a Mail on Sunday headline referring to a price increase on a gallon of petrol.
Gallons have disappeared from press reports on petrol prices. These days, litres are used exclusively in such reports.
Page 28 of VBM shows the price per lb for loose bananas.
Pricing per lb has disappeared in all the major supermarkets but is still common in small shops. Major supermarkets show prices exclusively in metric units today.
It is depressing that these are all the changes I could find compared to the situation described in VBM. Apart from these changes, the rest of the points made by VBM still apply today. These are my observations of the current situation today.
Metric Views 
There are a few others I would add. I would say that Fahrenheit has pretty much vanished from the UK at this point, and thankfully body weight in kg is starting to get some traction. With a YouGov poll from 2022 saying that around half of 18-29 year olds give their weight in kg, although unfortunately stone is still dominant.
Additionally, the move towards EVs means that economy is given in kWh/100 miles; while kWh/100 km would be more preferable, it is still better than mpg. Although my hope was that kW would be used over bhp as EVs would have given an ideal time to switch over. Another thing I have noticed in UK car magazines is the usage of 0-62 mph, which is clearly a soft conversion of 0-100 km/h.
The biggest elephant in the room here is obviously the road signs, and that is by a long way the biggest stumbling block to completion of metrication. As long as they remain unmetricated, there will be little progress, and that is by far the biggest contributor to the measurement mess in the UK.
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The statement from Alex M about road signs in Imperial as the biggest current stumbling block to metrication in the UK is borne out by the experience in Ireland and Canada when they switched road signs to metric.
Ezra aka punditgi
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From what I can see, we are creeping forward millimetre by millimetre (I nearly wrote “inching forward”, but the steps are too small to warrant the word “inching”). On the roads, it is now mandatory that all new height and width restriction signs show dual units and new weight limit signs are required to show the correct symbol “t” rather than “T” is for tonnes.
he 2022 You Gov survey showed that all sectors (political, age, gender and region) of the UK population use centigrade [sic] rather than Fahrenheit and that the under 50’s use metric in preference to imperial units for short distances and also for weighing items (other than oneself). The survey also showed that Londoners and younger people were more likely to use metric units than were the population in general.
The problem with creeping forward is that certain steps, such as speed limits, cannot be done incrementally without compromising safety, but require a step change which in turn requires a degree of long term planning, political courage and treasury agreement.
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“The problem with creeping forward is that certain steps, such as speed limits, cannot be done incrementally without compromising safety, but require a step change which in turn requires a degree of long term planning, political courage and treasury agreement.”
That is not the case for distance signs. Metric distances could fairly easily be permitted in the TSRGD, just like they already have for other things like lowercase t for tonnes and duel height restrictions. Then they can be phased in over a period of time to reduce cost, thus getting rid of the excuse that it would be too expensive. I really can’t see any good reason why not to.
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Alex:
Are you proposing replacing signs for distances in yards by signs for distances in metres generally when you say ‘phase them in’. Of course, these signs aren’t replaced very often and I don’t suppose many completely new ones are erected either. It would add to the VBM as we’d then have both signs for yards and for metres on road signs. But you could argue that we do already: even height restriction signs in metres at car park entrances and at petrol stations are roads signs, or at least signs intended for motorists and other road users. I would support a general replacement of signs for distances in yards on road signs by distances in metres but that would require a big political push and the necessary funding. If you’re going to do that, one might argue one should go the whole hog and switch speeds to km/h at the same time, as it would probably be cheaper to do it with an overall plan. But I support the idea of allowing metres to be used on road signs and distance signs generally as part of the piecemeal approach, because however you see it metrication in the UK has been a piecemeal job with no overall plan or objective. It seems crazy that the units of measurement taught in schools as the primary system are not officially used on road signs.
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Alex,
Why would you need to replace a distance sign in yards with a distance sign in metres? The signs already show the distance in metres, so all that would need to be done is cover over with an adhesive sticker the word “yards” with the letter “m”, being the symbol for metres.
Canada did this with all or most of their signs some 50 years ago, they just used adhesive stickers. As the signs wore out and they needed actual replacing due to age and general deterioration, then they were replaced with a new metric sign. Why spend more than need be spent?
Also, over the years many signs were already metric, but were vandalised. The cost to remetricate these signs should be born by those who did the vandalism.
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@metricnow
“Are you proposing replacing signs for distances in yards by signs for distances in metres generally when you say ‘phase them in’.”
They can amend the TSRGD to permit metres and kilometres to be used for distances. At the moment the only permitted units for those are miles, yards and fractions of a mile. Then they can phase out the older imperial units and replace them with metric. Ireland did something similar to that and was only left with the speed limit signs which only cost about €10 million. Extrapolated that for the UK, gives you a figure of about £100 million which is a pretty insignificant figure on the grand scheme of things.
As far as I am concerned it is long overdue and would love nothing more for them to get it over and done with in one go, but the reality is that isn’t politically feasible at the moment to do so. With the main excuse being given is cost. Phasing them in with general maintenance, invalidates such excuse.
“It would add to the VBM as we’d then have both signs for yards and for metres on road signs. “
It would only be temporary; eventually all the distance signs would be all in metric, leaving only the speed limit signs, which would have to be done in one go for practicality and safety reasons. The transition period can also be sped up. The other options are doing it in one go or just keeping the status quo of having imperial speed and distance signs. If you are going to dismiss any possible solutions to get rid of by far the biggest stumbling block to completing measurement, I really have to question why you are here and care so much about this issue to begin with.
“that would require a big political push and the necessary funding.”
The problem is there currently isn’t any political push for it. It barely gets talked about, and there was a YouGov poll from last year showing that 62% of respondents were against switching over to km, while only 22% supported. Incrementally phasing them in gets people used to them and invalidates the high cost excuse.
“because however you see it metrication in the UK has been a piecemeal job with no overall plan or objective.”
I care about what is practical and realistic. I would have loved it if the UK switched over in one go 50 years ago like Australia did and what was originally planned, but that isn’t the situation we are in. Unfortunately, metrication in the UK is a half-hearted job, and that is what we have to work with.
@Daniel
“Why would you need to replace a distance sign in yards with a distance sign in metres?”
Then there is no reason to use yards. It is an unhelpful anachronism. The British public are perfectly familiar with metres at this point and the signs are already built/designed in metric. Just replace a sign saying 800 yds or 1/2 mile with 800 m and call it a job done.
“Also, over the years many signs were already metric, but were vandalised. The cost to remetricate these signs should be born by those who did the vandalism.”
Just because a handful of people vandalise public property is not an excuse to not do something. Amending the TSRGD gets rid of metric signs being illegal excuse and then they can be properly prosecuted for their vandalism.
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Alex,
You misquoted me. When asked “Why would you need to replace a distance sign in yards with a distance sign in metres?”, you missed the next line that said: “The signs already show the distance in metres,…”
What I am saying is that the signs are already showing metres, they are just calling them yards. If a sign says 100 yards ahead, it really is saying 100 metres ahead. So, as I continued to say, all that needs to be done is cover over the word yards with the symbol m for metres. This would be a huge cost savings over unnecessarily replacing the whole sign.
You also misunderstood my second comment. I was NOT trying to say that the vandalism of metric signs should be an excuse not to change the law or metricate signs, but to force the vandals to pay for any and all signs that they vandalised that would need to be re-metricated.
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@Daniel I agree with you. Although road signs aren’t that expensive anyway, at around £200 per sign with many cases, you can also replace the plate under the sign. There is really no reason to write 200 yds over 200 m, the TSRGD is an anachronism that they never bothered to properly update. They already use plates to amend parts of signs so they can easily replace yards and miles with equivalent metric distances. Cost is a red herring that they use to excuse the lack of political will, courage, and commitment to get it done. People just assume it would cost a lot of money without giving it much thought.
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The trickier conversion to metric is speed limit signs. But all the other signs could be converted easily over a reasonable amount of time. The issue has always been political will. 😦
Ezra aka punditgi
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Despite the horror of the COVID pandemic I was heartened when I saw signs that said to keep apart 2 m rather than 2 yards or 6 feet. Such signs are still on sale in the UK:
https://www.safetysignsandnotices.co.uk/covid-19-stay-2m-apart-sign-OVID-19-STAY2M
So, imagine my surprise today when a BBC reporter talked about how Zelensky met King Charles only X “yards” from the front door of whatever castle that was.
Really? Using “yards” instead of “metres”? I would have hoped that under a Labour government the folks at the BBC would not feel the need to slather themselves in servile obedience to needlessly promoting Imperial. Guess I was wrong.
Long live the metric muddle? So disappointing.
But, hey! If the USA abandoning Europe pushed Starmer to rethink rejoining the EU, those folks might also want the UK’s defense spending and armaments enough to let the UK rejoin while keeping at least some of the carve-outs they had the last time, most notably keeping the pound sterling as the UK’s official currency.
Once again, I keep seeking the sunny uplands. Excelsior! 🙂
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@punditgi
Sometimes they just stick with metres …
Why is it so hard to move a runway just 12 metres?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cly44dknrj8o
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punditgi,
In order for BBC reporters to stop using FFU, the decision makers at the BBC have to put their foot down and forbid the use of FFU in any reporting and if a reporter refuses to go along, then they are promptly fired and blacklisted. Obviously managers and bosses are looking the other way when these reporters go against the grain, some may even support them.
Some BBC managers and reporters may argue that people want to hear and see yards and get upset if metres are used. There may be some truth to this only because the main audience of the BBC are older people who refuse to give up FFU whereas the younger generation that prefers metric units avoid services like the BBC like a plague and thus aren’t insulted when SI units are not used.
All the decision makers at the BBC are doing when allowing FFU to be used is assuring their ultimate demise when the older generation dies out.
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With the present situation between Canada and the US over tariffs, France 24 English produced this video about a shop in Québec and how it is replacing American products on the shelf with local Canadian products.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otc9aQVJJvE
At 0:12 into the video is an advertisement placard for tomatoes showing the price per pound in large font and the price per kilogram in very small font. I knew this was the norm in English Canada but I thought Québec was different.
We can only hope that metric enthusiasts across Canada would form a grass roots movement and help push this issue and end the use of non-SI in everywhere possible. I can only hope that the scales used to determine the mass of the products sold are in kilograms despite what the placards state.
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Daniel,
The sad truth is that as long as yards appear on road signs, many people will continue to think of short distances in those units. I am very impressed when people do “not” do that. It tends to be younger people, it has to be said. Goods which used to be sold by the yard length and are now sold by the metre, such as timber and fabrics, probably tend to be purchased by trades people who use metric anyway. That is the sad reality as I have said so many times before: the road signs mean that metric education in schools is largely wasted.
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Spring must be on its way because the BBC weather presenter Louise Lear felt the need to “translate” the temperature into degrees Fahrenheit during the weather forecast earlier this week. It’s so sad. Why does she do this? Also on the weather, I’ve asked the BBC to refer to temperatures as “xx degrees Celsius” and not “xx Celsius”, or simply to say “xx degrees”. I’ve had no reply from them. I understand that the weather presenters are at liberty to present their forecast however they wish. I am told that a child who failed to include the degree symbol when writing a temperature in a piece of work would have it corrected, so I ask myself why the BBC, with its educational remit, amongst others, is propagating this incorrect usage.
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metricnow:
Ironically, Canada (despite being bombarded by pseudo-Imperial given its proximity to the USA) never gives temperature in degrees Fahrenheit. Same for Ireland, right? So, there is no reason for the BBC or anyone else to mention Fahrenheit ever again!
Ezra aka punditgi
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@metricnow:
Louise has not used imperial for months that I heard, until this last couple of weeks. F degrees this week, a couple of inches of rain last week.
A great shame as she in a very good presenter apart from that ‘Fast Forward’ moment of historical hysteria.
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BrianAC:
We’re a long way from “dangerous temperatures territory”, if temperatures do indeed reach levels which are dangerous to life this coming summer, but in the unlikely event that there are still viewers who, after more than 50 years of weather reporting in degrees Celsius, still do not understand, Louise would be doing those obviously now elderly viewers a great service by helping them at long last to get to grips with them rather than confusing everyone else with the temperature scale only the US uses.
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Here’s a BBC TV weather forecast from 1968:
If you were blind, temperatures were in degrees Fahrenheit only.
If you were deaf, temperatures were in degrees Celsius only.
The rest of us were gaslit.
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Ref: metricnow (above)
The point about a child who failed to include the degree symbol …
When I taught chemistry, in student work – I always deducted a mark if the metric symbol was wrong. This was even when the numerical calculation was perfectly set out and the answer was correct.
Just a couple of examples to illustrate this: ‘Mol’ instead of the correct ‘mol’ , and the inkorrect ‘Kg’ instead of the correct ‘kg’.
Sadly, when some official exam marking schemes were seen, if the numerical answer was correct – full marks were awarded, even if the student hadn’t bothered to include the unit, or the unit symbol written was wrong.
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m:
Thanks for sharing that very old weather forecast with us. Even though I grew up hearing temperatures in Fahrenheit, they are practically meaningless to me today. I don’t relate to them at all.
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metricviewer:
You make the point better than I could. Even if, as you say, full marks were awarded for correct answers despite the use of ‘inkorrekt’ symbols or units. But the BBC should not be propagating such misusage. I thought the weather presenters were meteorologists from the Met Office. Don’t they know how to read out or present a temperature? Don’t they take any notice of a comment when the error is respectfully pointed out to them? Don’t they care?
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I wrote previously that I thought the BBC weather forecasts were provided by the Met Office. However, according to Wikipedia that no longer seems to be the case: “On 6 February 2018, BBC Weather changed supplier from the government Met Office to MeteoGroup after an open competition. The Met Office had been the provider of weather information for 94 years.”
But the principle remains the same: the presenters should refer to the temperatures as so- many degrees and not so-many Celsius!
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