M4 Jct 11 roundabout and approaches, no line markings

Reading Borough Council says they are responsible for maintaining the white lines on the J11 roundabout but they are waiting for permission from National Highways to work on the roundabout.

Your response to the previous report about the same issue is a standard reply and does not recognise that this is the council’s responsibility. This needs an urgent review and permission needs to be granted to Reading Borough Council so they can instruct their contractor to begin works immediately.

When driving a car, motorists rely on the guidance of markings for direction, traffic flow and to be alerted of hazards or upcoming turns. Pedestrians also look to road markings to understand the layout or flow of traffic on a road, and for instruction when crossing a road.

Therefore if road markings are faded to the point of being almost invisible, this can seriously impact the safety of motorists and pedestrians. Even a single moment of confusion on the roads could cause injury or even fatality, and so markings should be in the best possible condition at all times. The Road Traffic Act 1988 outlines that roads must be safe for users. Therefore if an accident were to occur due to the lack of road markings, or the inadequate quality of them, then the responsibility may well lie with those in charge of the road marking maintenance. An incident caused as a direct result of road marking quality could therefore be a violation of the law.