BRITAIN faces a ‘wake-up call’ on self-driving vehicles unless the country’s road markings are significantly improved, Project Scotland has been told.
The UK Government recently launched a call for evidence in a key next step of its Automated Vehicles Act, designed to ensure technology can help transform travel by strengthening road safety, create thousands of new jobs, and unlock economic benefits.
Autonomous vehicles are currently operating as taxi services in California and are being trialled in New York. However, Rob Shearing, CEO of the Road Safety Markings Association (RSMA), warned that Britain needs to get ready.
“I think it will be a wake-up call,” he said. “They’re about to trial autonomous connected vehicles in London and I suspect that will be closely followed across other major cities as they try and reduce traffic within cities – and we need decent markings to support that.”
Adding that autonomous vehicles aren’t solely reliant on just markings for guidance, Rob said good road markings would undoubtedly help whilst also providing greater protection to all road users – with 2021 figures showing poor markings to be behind 12% of all accidents.
“Not only would it be beneficial for road users, but it would save lives,” he continued. “Also, the cost of a collision to industry and to the public purse – whether that be through healthcare, social care, and all the other wraparound services that come into play if someone is killed or seriously injured on the road (must be considered).”
Project Scotland spoke to Rob at Road Expo Scotland 2025, where the RSMA was exhibiting and unveiling ambitions to further support the country – with members including the likes of Markon, Central Traffic Management, and WJ Scotland.
“Scotland is hugely important,” Rob explained. “A lot of things concentrate solely on England, but it is important that the roads in Scotland are safe and we have a lot of A-roads that have a high volume of traffic. It’s really important that they are safe for all road users and our members help facilitate that.”
