HAD to make another trip along the A1M from Darlington (this time to Newcastle Airport) on Monday evening and what a surprise it provided after my visit to Bamburgh on August 15 when Richard Armstrong’s letter (HAS, Aug 9) – about the mystery of pole-mounted signs along the route with their information left covered up by the Highways Agency – sprang to mind.
Since that first journey all the signs (along both carriageways) have been uncovered to reveal letters/numbers. Some, such as the route number, were immediately meaningful, some were not – at least not until I read explanations of these “driver location signs”
from Craig Rodway, Matthew Scott and Barry McGuire (HAS, all Aug 24 in response to my letter (HAS, Aug 19) seeking enlightenment.
Apparently, other information relates to direction of travel and exact location on the route, based in kilometres from a pre-defined point, with the signs intended to assist in reporting debris, collisions and breakdowns via mobile phone.
Intrigue remains, however. Does the uncovering of the signs so soon after the issue was raised in HAS indicate that someone at the Highways Agency is an avid reader of the column?
If so, one sign remains covered up. It’s near the top of the Junction 58 inclined turn-off to Darlington (A68). Go to it, lads.
Alan Riley, Darlington.
RE the A1M driver location signs (HAS, Aug 24). Why the hell is the distance given in kilometres and not in miles?
Ray Aggersburg, West Cornforth, Co Durham.A1M SIGNS INTRIGUE HAD to make another trip along the A1M from Darlington (this time to Newcastle Airport) on Monday evening and what a surprise it provided after my visit to Bamburgh on August 15 when Richard Armstrong’s letter (HAS, Aug 9) – about the mystery of pole-mounted signs along the route with their information left covered up by the Highways Agency – sprang to mind.
Since that first journey all the signs (along both carriageways) have been uncovered to reveal letters/numbers. Some, such as the route number, were immediately meaningful, some were not – at least not until I read explanations of these “driver location signs”
from Craig Rodway, Matthew Scott and Barry McGuire (HAS, all Aug 24 in response to my letter (HAS, Aug 19) seeking enlightenment.
Apparently, other information relates to direction of travel and exact location on the route, based in kilometres from a pre-defined point, with the signs intended to assist in reporting debris, collisions and breakdowns via mobile phone.
Intrigue remains, however. Does the uncovering of the signs so soon after the issue was raised in HAS indicate that someone at the Highways Agency is an avid reader of the column?
If so, one sign remains covered up. It’s near the top of the Junction 58 inclined turn-off to Darlington (A68). Go to it, lads.
Alan Riley, Darlington.
RE the A1M driver location signs (HAS, Aug 24). Why the hell is the distance given in kilometres and not in miles?
Ray Aggersburg, West Cornforth, Co Durham.
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