Please can you tell me who controls the signs on the motorways that warn us about hold-ups, delays etc? I do not remember the last time that the warning on one of these gantries turned out to be up to date, whether it was about fog, spray, delays, closures or anything else.

Last evening, returning to Somerset from Edinburgh, there was sign after sign warning that there were long delays between M5 Junctions 4a and 6. A quick glance at the map confirmed my opinion that finding an alternative route around Birmingham was out of the question, so we carried on hoping for the best. The road was not only clear of any cause for a delay, it was almost empty by modern standards. If the controlling authority has information supplied to them when warnings should be given, surely they should also know when to turn them off again. It is no wonder that drivers so rarely take any notice of any signs except the average speed checks?