Until very recently, two very large blue-and white signs on the westbound and eastbound carriageways of the M62, between Oldham and Huddersfield, read:

' Highest Motorway in England: 372 m (1221 feet) '.


Today they each read:

' Highest Motorway in England: (1221 feet) '.

The metric height has been covered over with a large oblong of black paint, around 5' by 1'. The operation was interrupted midway by three motorway maintenance men, who - after hearing that it was an unofficial action designed to preserve English measurements in England - expressed their approval of the action and allowed the operation to continue.


'Before and 'after' photographs were taken and will be in ARM's possession shortly.

'Henry the Height Enhancer' proved invaluable on this occasion (see separate postings under 'Newton Heritage Trail').


Tony Bennett

This is needless vandalism. Ordinace Survey maps have given heights in metres for over 25 years and most decent quality atlases also give heights in metres only.

Oh shut up martin, Why is it some who are from outside the UK complain about British things within the UK!?!?!?

"Needless vandalism" - don't make me laugh (too late)

Steve,

I was born in Dorset which, I believe, is in the United Kingdom. I have also traced my ancestry and I have roots in Dorset back to at least 1662, Cornwall (at least 1690), Oxfordshire (at least 1650). My Dorset line is unbroken since 1662.

I happen to travel quite a bit and as a result of my travels, bring money into the UK.

My travelling has opened my eyes to what happens elsehwere in the world and having had experience of different systems of measure, I am probably in a better position to make a judgement than those who have never travelled.

Message for Martin:

Please reconsider your posting about 'needless vandalism' after reading my two recent posts on the Traffic Signs Manual and the '4-second rule'.

Please also note that the Ordnance Survey's politically correct insistence on using metric-only heights is deeply resented by much of the rambling community, notably the 'Munro-baggers' who need to establish if a peak is over 3,000 feet (the official definition of a 'Munro'). There are other similar definitions; I think a 'Corbett' is any mountain over 2,500 feet.

Some see the progressive obliteration of British weights and measures as 'cultural vandalism'.


Tony Bennett

I have travelled far and wide an the thing I love the most is diversity.

Strangely, as the years go by that diversity is getting narrower and narrower.

Bravo EU!!

I have read your posting about the 4 second rule.

When the average motorist sees the sign about the highest point on a motorway in England, hsi reaction will be

"That is interesting - it is downhill now". Most motorists will disregard the associated height regardless of whether it is in feet or metres. The fact that a heigth is given will provide the motorist with a comfort factor that somebody has actually checked the hieght.

It should be noted that there is no provision in the standard set of road signs for such signs, so I suspect that permission was sought from the Secratary of State to erect that specific sign. Due consideration was probably given to its degree of uniqueness and whether or not it would prove distracting to the motorist in this particular instance. No doubt the Secretary of State was informed by his staff that the sign was both safe and appropriate, so he gave permission fo rit to be erected. If my assumption is correct, ARM have modified a perfectley legal sign - legal becuase the Secretary of State specifically authorised it.

On my travels, I have found that the Italians have a large number of such signs - every bridge and tunnel has a sign givingits length. I personally find that the lengths of bridges tiresome unless there is sonething spectacular about the brige (for example is is over 1km long). On the other hand I find the signs giving the lengths of tunnels useful, because it gives me a feel-good factor about how long the tunnel is - there are many tunnels over 1 km long.

...That's 0.6 (or a tad over half a) mile for the rest of us folks!

:)

1 kilometre is 1,093 yards - or 3,279 feet.

England's highest mountain is Scafell Pikes, 3,210 feet, and Wales's is Snowdon, 3,560 feet.

England's highest motorway, the M62, is 1,221 feet.

Tony Bennett