Order, Order.

We turn now to a Stage 2 Vote on SB204. The question is that this Parliament approves the following amendments to the E-road Network Signage (Scotland) Bill

The bill text may be read here

This bill was written by u/mg9500 as a Private Members Bill

Opening Speech

Presiding Officer, this simple bill aims to rectify an anomaly in the UK’s road signage - that it is one of only a very few countries, including Uzbekistan, that form parts of the International E-road network, yet does not signpost this for drivers. This naturally diminishes the value of the network here, creating a burden for users to the advantage of nobody.

Confusing motorists must be avoided, and distinctively yet unobtrusively appending this signage to existing requirements best achieves this. Indeed, this bill broadly replicates the approach successfully used in Ireland for the past 15 years. I cannot foresee any problems with the implementation of this common sense bill to implement United Nations policy.

Amendments

A01 - Submitted by u/LightningMinion

Replace the bill with:

“Section 1: European Routes in Scotland

(1) In this Act, “the international E-road network” has the same meaning as in the latest enactment of the European Agreement On Main International Traffic Arteries.

(2) The provisions of this Act apply to the routes designated in Schedule 1.

(3) The Scottish Ministers may by regulations subject to the negative procedure amend Schedule 1.

(4) If any routes of the international E-road network within Scotland are amended, the Scottish Ministers must lay regulations as per subsection (3) to implement the amendments to Schedule 1.

(5) Regulations under subsection (4) must be laid within no more than 30 days of the date when the amendments to the international E-road network within Scotland come into force.

(6) In calculating any period of no more than 30 days for the purposes of subsection (5), no account is to be taken of any time during which the Parliament is dissolved or is in recess for more than 4 days.

Section 2: Signage

(1) Within this section, “E-road signage” means signage indicating the presence of an international E-road network route

(2) E-road signage must be shown at all applicable locations

(3) For the purposes of subsection (2), “applicable locations” means:

Start of motorway regulations
All three junction signs
Route confirmatory signs, on motorways and ‘A’ roads
End of motorway regulations
‘A’ road junction signs
Signs indicating the location of ports which form part of the European Route

(4) The Scottish Ministers may, by regulations subject to the negative procedure, amend subsection (3)

(5) The Scottish Ministers may, by regulations subject to the negative procedure, lay guidance on the design of E-road signage

(6) E-road signage should utilise white text of the Transport Heavy font on a green background.

(7) Regulations laid under subsection (5) may not contravene subsection (6)

Section 4: Commencement

(1) Sections 2(2) of this Act comes into force 1 year after Royal Assent

(2) The remaining provisions of this Act come into force upon Royal Assent

Section 5: Short Title

(1) This Act may be cited as the International E-road Network Signage (Scotland) Act 2022.

Schedule 1: international E-road network routes within Scotland

Explanatory note: tidies up the wording of the bill

Voting on this item of Business ends with the close of Business on July 29th, at 10 pm BST