Over the past couple of years, we’ve reported on the introduction of novel road marking projects – some of which have raised eyebrows, others of which have been hailed as a huge success – and if recent news is anything to go by, this is a trend that’s set to continue.
While Clevedon seafront is set to have its now infamous “wiggly” lines removed in 2025, other local authorities have taken an innovative approach to road markings, and like Clevedon’s North Somerset Council, have met a mixed response. Two examples that have gained national coverage are a pedestrian crossing in Finchampstead, Berkshire, and markings designed to slow traffic outside a school in Frome.
Both examples feature far more colourful and artistic designs than your average road marking project, and both have similar aims – to encourage drivers to behave more cautiously and slow down for pedestrians.
Creative choices
The project in Finchampstead is centred on a new junction layout and aims to help pedestrians access two nearby primary schools and a shopping parade. In the middle of the junction, small green, red, orange and yellow leaf motifs are arranged in a circular pattern and bordered with large white leaves to indicate the pedestrian crossings.
The design in Frome is comparably bright and cheerful, if more abstract, and features geometric shapes, swirls and dots running down the middle of the road between traditional yellow “School Keep Clear” lines. It may be a surprise, given that road markings tend to appear in very straightforward lines and patterns, that this kind of creativity is possible, but technologies such as pre-formed thermoplastic allow for far more complex designs.
Thermoplastic road markings in general are the nation’s favourite road marking product, but pre-formed thermoplastic has huge utility in other areas. This is especially true when more imaginative visuals are called for, such as when decorating playgrounds, and it is here where much of the criticism for the Frome and Finchampstead schemes has originated.
Community concerns
Despite being 75 miles apart, these eye-catching road markings have both been subject to very similar criticism regarding their safety for children. Residents have shared their concerns that children would not be identify roads that are marked so colourfully as an area they shouldn’t play in, and further contend that these unusual road markings are confusing for drivers and therefore potentially more dangerous.
Throughout the implementation of road marking projects, there are several safeguards regarding safety, and community feedback is carefully monitored in case changes need to be made. For example, in Frome, the designs were subject to a Road Safety Audit (which allows for independent overview of the proposal for safety issues) before installation, and a councillor emphasised how much they welcomed people’s views – as the designs can always be amended.
The scheme in Frome has received more widespread media attention than Finchampstead, having appeared in several national outlets, which may be due to stronger criticism from the local community. One of the schools the road markings were intended to benefit teaches children with additional needs, and some parents say their children will struggle to understand the hazards of playing in the road.
Councillor Paul Fishwick, commenting on the leaf markings in Finchampstead, acknowledged that there are always concerns when new junction layouts are installed, but emphasised that as long as drivers abide by the Highway Code, the new markings would have no adverse impact on safety.
Will there be more unusual road marking schemes to come?
While controversial schemes may hit the headlines, it seems likely that similar projects which don’t draw public misgivings have been rolled out elsewhere – utilising more unconventional solutions to make drivers think twice and check their speed. There is also a pressure on councils to encourage people to engage more in active travel, whether that’s walking and cycling, and at times these efforts may run counter to the preferences of car drivers, who could find themselves slowed down or inconvenienced.
Our road network is a continual work in progress, where professionals from various fields come together to both maintain and innovate where appropriate. Alongside this, the response of the people who travel on the roads everyday is a key part of what keeps the roads usable and safe, as even the most well-intentioned project may not work perfectly in practice.
It may be the case that with time both of these projects are welcomed by the majority of people within their communities, or it might be, like Clevedon, they are eventually re-evaluated. Whether you are a fan of these projects or think they are misguided, they are an interesting demonstration the careful balance local governments and contractors have to strike between innovation, safety, and the wishes of the public.
