It’s hard these days to imagine a world without road traffic signs, so it came as a surprise to me to discover that road signs such as “hump-backed bridge” or “no vehicles” were only introduced in this country 50 years ago this month.

In an article headed “The Signs of the Times”, the Watford Observer printed examples of the new-fangled signs in its edition of February 5, 1965.

The article began: “It is now a fairly well-known fact that this country is in the process of switching over to a new system of road signs which will give road users symbolic and silhouetted pictures rather than written instructions.

“What is not so well known is just what these will look like.

“This week, Watfordians have been given an excellent opportunity to acquaint themselves with the ‘signs of the times’ at a Ministry of Transport mobile exhibition stationed near The Pond.

“Because of its importance – the Borough of Watford alone will require some 17,000 of the signs – the exhibition was officially opened by the Mayor, Alderman Arthur Reynolds on Monday morning.

“After a brief introduction by Wing Commander E.W. Norris, who is from the Ministry of Transport Information Division, the mayor said he was glad of the opportunity to welcome that van to Watford because ‘we as a town are most road safety conscious.’

“‘Of course we would not attribute all our accidents to visitors, but everything possible was done in local schools to inculcate the rules of road safety,’ he said.

“The mayor reminded the small crowd which had gathered for the ceremony that the new system was the result of recommendations of the Worboys commission which was set up to look into the question in 1961 and whose report was adopted by the Government in 1963.

“Three man points emerged from it, he said. Firstly, the adoption in this country of continental signs which were symbols more tha words; secondly, the introduction on primary roads of new directional signs, a higher standard of illumination and carriageway markings and thirdly, distinct marking of major-minor road junctions.

“The mayor felt that uncertainty about which was a major and minor road, and who had the right of way, had caused many accidents.

“‘We shall soon know where we are and who has the privilege to go first,’ he declared.

“Alderman Reynolds felt the new system had an added advantage because of the increasing number of foreign visitors bringing their cars.

“He emphasised that this was not just an exhibition for the learner but also for the advanced motorist.”