Review Launched Into Outdated Messages on Scotland’s Motorway Signs

A review of Scotland’s motorway signage is under way following concerns that outdated and misleading information has been displayed on overhead gantries.

Scottish Conservative MSP Liz Smith has raised the issue several times at Holyrood, claiming that drivers on the M90 and M9 have been shown warnings about congestion or queues that simply weren’t there.

She said:

“There are still issues with gantry signs that are not time-sensitive – indeed, I have seen that for myself – and about information being displayed about congestion or queues ahead when there are no such things. That is unhelpful to drivers, who have to make a decision about which roads they are going to take.”

Ms Smith said she first pressed the matter with Humza Yousaf when he was Transport Secretary in 2017, and returned to it again with his successor, Fiona Hyslop, in June last year.

Government Response

Ms Hyslop, the current Cabinet Secretary for Transport, acknowledged the frustrations but insisted most signs were being used correctly.

She said:

“It is important that dynamic messaging is timely and accurate, because driver frustration, whether it be Ms Smith’s or that of others, should be avoided. Thousands of messages are displayed and removed daily in response to changing and dynamic situations.”

The Cabinet Secretary added that officials have recently instructed Traffic Scotland to carry out further checks on how and when signs are set or removed, particularly on routes between Fife and Edinburgh. She encouraged drivers to report examples of problems to help pinpoint issues more quickly.

The Scale of the Network

There are 313 variable message signs across Scotland’s trunk roads and motorways. These include:

• 56 on the M90

• 48 on the M74

• 25 on the M80

• 21 on the M8

• 20 on the A9

Between January 2021 and March 2025, the network required 1,419 fault repairs – an average of 4.5 repairs per sign over the four-year period.

When no live traffic updates are needed, the gantries display general safety messages such as “Don’t Drive Tired” or “Strong Winds Forecast” to coincide with seasonal hazards or public awareness campaigns.

A Lighter Take

The debate around motorway signs isn’t new. Back in 2010, former Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson jokingly suggested that instead of dry safety messages, comedians should be drafted in to provide entertainment.

“We could give Jimmy Carr the M1 and Stephen Fry the M4,” Clarkson said. “Maybe Stan Boardman could get a Northern motorway like the M62 and Billy Connolly the M8. I quite fancy reserving Michael McIntyre for my run home on the M40.”

While few would advocate turning Scotland’s motorway signs into comedy billboards, drivers across the country will be hoping the review ensures that the information they do see is both timely and accurate.