The London Borough of Southwark appears to relish its role as the setting for the BBC’s 1980s retro series Ashes to Ashes, which was filmed on location in the borough. Just a few hundred metres from filming locations, which were dressed to take off a quarter of a century and appear as they were in the 1980s, Southwark has been busy spending public money removing universally understood metric road signs and replacing them with imperial ones that fewer drivers will understand. Continue reading “Southwark goes back to the 1980s”
Labour leadership hopefuls quizzed on metrication
It is at least possible that one of the five candidates for the Labour leadership will be our next Prime Minister – so it would be helpful to know where each stands on the question of completing metrication. Here is the result (so far) of a small survey carried out by an individual Party member.
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Sign clutter campaign misses obvious target
The UK Metric Association (UKMA) welcomes today’s announcement by the government of an attack on unnecessary sign clutter, but believes that some obvious targets have been missed: in particular, the Department for Transport’s requirements for local authorities to use multiple obsolete units on our road signs.
Continue reading “Sign clutter campaign misses obvious target”
‘Rebalancing of the UK economy’ postponed?
Metric Views has learned that the coalition government may drop the proposed amendments to road traffic sign regulations, which would have required dual signage of height and width restrictions within four years and which would have achieved savings and improvements in efficiency for the UK economy in the long term.
Continue reading “‘Rebalancing of the UK economy’ postponed?”
A juicy story
A slogan appearing on the label of a bottle of apple juice leaves some of us guessing about its intended message. Continue reading “A juicy story”
Measuring, trading and manufacturing
Two questions from a reader have prompted thoughts about the impact on UK trade of the continued use of pound/inch units in the US, and about the future prospects for manufacturing industry. Continue reading “Measuring, trading and manufacturing”
DfT prefers imperial units to pedestrian safety
Signs indicating the emergency escape routes in tunnels are of critical importance to the safety of tunnel users, given the particular hazards of fire and smoke within tunnel environments. Sadly, the government’s irrational position on units of measure even extends to these safety critical signs, as illustrated by the different units being used by the same authority on adjacent tunnels.
Continue reading “DfT prefers imperial units to pedestrian safety”
Eggs by the kilo
There has been some media excitement over a suggestion that eggs could be sold by weight. MetricViews asked its cookery correspondent for a quick comment, and this is what she said: Continue reading “Eggs by the kilo”
Linked by a common system of measures
There is a widely held view in the UK that we share our measurement system with the USA. True – but not in the way many believe. Continue reading “Linked by a common system of measures”
60 km Jubilee Greenway to be signed in imperial
On 9th June 1977, the Queen officially opened the Silver Jubilee Walkway, a 21 km walking trail around central London to mark her Silver Jubilee, or 25 years on the throne. Thirty-three years later, work is under way to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee with a new 60 km walking trail, the Jubilee Greenway, providing walkers with a kilometre to walk for every year of the Queen’s reign.
Continue reading “60 km Jubilee Greenway to be signed in imperial”
