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Liberal Democrat minister for transport Norman Baker has given a speech at the party's autumn conference in Birmingham, UK this week, where he announced that next month he will lay before parliament a new traffic signs policy document.

The speech highlights intentions made public earlier this year, including making it easier for councils to 'declutter' streets by removing repeater signs and painting roundels on the road surface instead.

"I would encourage councils to go further and take out redundant signs that are no longer needed," added Baker during the presentation, made on Monday (September 19th). "There are still lots of signs warning of cattle where cattle farming no longer occurs, and so-called temporary signs advising of events long past.

"In recognition of the environmental advances being made, there will be new signs to promote safer cycling and help pedestrians, to discourage HGVs from using inappropriate routes, and to inform motorists of electric vehicle charging points.

"And in carefully selected locations, occasional signs will be permitted to alert motorists to alternative ways of getting from A to B, for example by giving the journey duration of the parallel rail service. This will help cut carbon and ease congestion on our roads."