Today I saw a significant set of signs in Lee Valley Park. They were brand new metal footpath signs, and in Imperial measurements only, i.e. in miles and yards. They had been erected by Lee Valley Park Authority.

It may be recalled from other postings on this bulletin board that, three years ago, all Lee Valley Park's signs were in metric only, having been erected over a period of years.

Then came ARM actions, including the famous day, 3 December 2001, when dozens of footpath signs were altered back into Imperial by activists.

I was later arrested in connection with the amendment of signs at Fishers Green, near Waltham Abbey, and locked up for hours in a Police cell in Brentwood Police Station.

The allegation of criminal damage by Lee Valley Park Authority was eventually dropped, after the Park Authority took Counsel's advice and discovered that their footpath signs were illegal after all.

Lee Valley Park then announced to the press that they were 'reconsidering' their signage and would probably erect new signs replacing the old metric ones with both measurements. The Park Director put out a statement stating that to put miles and yards on their signs would be a 'retrograde step' (!).

In the meantime, ARM activists continued their programme of 're-Imperialisation' - and to date nearly all the Park's 170-odd metric signs have been put back into Imperial (just one set of signs in Walthamstow to go now).

The amendment of a set of Lee Valley Park signs at Broxbourne Station on 3 December 2001 has been immortalised on an ARM postcard showing two ARM members, 'Hundredweight' and 'Ellie', affixing lettering in miles and yards over previously metric signs, which had been whited out by ARM [copies still available, plus one of ARM's amendments in Portsmouth].

Today, Lee Valley Park Authority has obviously seen the light, and has aligned itself with the 80%-plus of Britons who want road and footpath signs to remain Imperial.

The moral of the tale is that nothing is inevitable. The 'eventual' metrication of Britain's road signs is by no means inevitable and the probabilty of them remaining Imperial is increasing month by month.

A bit of good news ahead of BWMA's AGM on Saturday

When will that Walthamstow signed be expunged?
Do these new official signs cover over the ARM amendments or are they in different places?

re (Dr. S. Cruple): "Do these new official signs cover over the ARM amendments or are they in different places?"

ANSWER: The only one seen to date is in a brand new location on the main road between Broxbourne and Nazeing. The worn out signs in today's Lee Valley Park are the old metric ones, as amended by ARM over the past two years (Walthamstow excepted).

The brand spanking new signs in Lee Valley Park are in Imperial.

The future's bright. The future's Imperial

...and nothing rhymes with "orange"

Perhaps, as the Walthamstow illegal, useless, objectionable, pathetic metrickal signs should be preserved, much as certain ghastly tower blocks and other sixties architecture is now listed, no that such folly is never repeated.

what think ye?

re (Dr. S. Cruple): "Perhaps, as the Walthamstow illegal, useless, objectionable, pathetic metrickal signs should be preserved, much as certain ghastly tower blocks and other sixties architecture is now listed, no that such folly is never repeated. What think ye?"

REPLY: The illegal sign in Walthamstow must clearly be rendered legal and intelligible to the general public A.S.A.P.

A dated photo of the unamended illegal metric signs should suffice. It can be added to ARM's collection of photos of these oudated objects and may one day be suitable for a Museum of British History [for instance: Display A: 1995-2004 - 'The story of the rise and fall of metric road signs in Britain']

<<<'The story of the rise and fall of metric road signs in Britain'>>>

If there are people keen to put them up even though they are illegal, imagine what will happen when people are given a choice?

Although of course, the chances are, when the law changes to allow metric it will no longer allow imperial...

<<<imagine what will happen when people are given a choice?>>>

I would imagine it would follow public opinion - ie imperial.

The only people who advocate metric on signs and stuff are making a political message.

I saw some "england" flags sold in boxes the other day - it said "XXX mm X xxx mm (5' by 3')"

Have a tiny guess whether people would be drawn to the unrounded metric amount or to the bracketed amount.

<<<The only people who advocate metric on signs and stuff are making a political message.>>>

People who OPPOSE metric on signs and stuff are making a political message. To the average person it does not make any difference.

<<<I saw some "england" flags sold in boxes the other day - it said "XXX mm X xxx mm (5' by 3')"

Have a tiny guess whether people would be drawn to the unrounded metric amount or to the bracketed amount.>>>

I would take the 5' by 3'

What is your point? If it said something along the lines of

"3'3 1/2" X 6'7 (2m by 1m)"

what do you think people would be drawn to?

I suspect that over 90% would hone in on the imperial but over 50% would work it out from either.

I suspect about 5% would see the "m" as miles!!!

....because of Margaret Thatcher!