Roads across the country are losing their white lines as part of a new safety initiative, but it's the removal of traffic lights that would really reduce accidents and improve traffic flow, argues Steve Huntingford

For two decades drivers have been told that speed kills, and anything that reduces it will improve safety, with the latest manifestation of this thinking being the decision to do away with road markings.

Several major roads in London have already had their white lines removed – or, more accurately, not replaced after resurfacing work. And there are similar schemes in Wiltshire and Derby, with a fourth planned in Derby.

This is being done due to research that suggests blank roads introduce a sense of uncertainty in drivers, leading to a 13 per cent drop in the average speed of vehicles. But has this really been thought through?

I’m not convinced. As Paul Watters, head of road policy at the AA, says: “Without exaggeration it is true to say that a simple pot of paint can save lives; in particular, highly visible markings at the edge and centre of the road that can be seen on a wet night.”

Even if the removal of the markings reduces the accident rate during the day, then, it seems it has the potential to push it up when the sun goes down.