Some background on the evolution of the UK's signs
A little of the history of the UK’s road signs.
Looking at the UK’s National Archive I was struck with the fact that the situation there could have been very different, were it not for the intervention of one or two decisive individuals...
“...it has long been my belief that we would do best to submit all our proposed traffic signs to a consultant industrial artist, who is a expert on lettering. I know it can be argued that, having adopted an alphabet, all the rest is merely routine. I know too that a special relationship has been built up between the Ministry and the sign manufacturers, which introduction of a third party in the form of a consultant would complicate. Nevertheless it is remarkable what a good designer can do to the appearance of simple things, as any attentive reader to the productions of the Council of Industrial Design must know. A decision to appoint a consultant of this kind would not be popular in the Department, but outside it would, I believe, be well received.” (Allen, National Archives, 1957)
It appears, unfortunately, there was no such champion of design in Ireland, but here I’ll outline a few points around the genesis of the UK solution.
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