UK Metric Association: Difference between revisions
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The '''UK Metric Association''', or '''UKMA''', is an [[advocacy group]] in the United Kingdom that argues for [[metrication in the United Kingdom]] and advocates the use of the metric system among the general public in the UK |
The '''UK Metric Association''', or '''UKMA''', is an [[advocacy group]] in the United Kingdom that argues for completion of [[metrication in the United Kingdom]] and advocates the use of the metric system among the general public in the UK. |
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==History== |
==History== |
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| ⚫ | UKMA was founded by Chris Keenan in 1999 and formally associated in 2002 as an independent, non-party political, single-issue organisation.<ref>{{Cite web |title=About |url=https://ukma.org.uk/about/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221120222755/https://ukma.org.uk/about//https://ukma.org.uk/about/patrons/ |archive-date=20 November 2022 |access-date=27 March 2023 |website=UK Metric Association}}</ref> Later, an e-mail forum was started for supporters of metrication. In 2005, a website called ThinkMetric to help and encourage the general public to think in metric units was launched. In 2006, a blog called MetricViews was launched.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://ukmetric.files.wordpress.com/2017/07/ukma-news-2006-12.pdf |title=UKMA News |date=December 2006 |page=1 |access-date=27 March 2023 |website=WorldPress |publisher=UK Metric Association}}</ref> |
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| ⚫ | The current chair of UKMA is Peter Burke, and the secretary is Ronnie Cohen.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Officers |url=https://ukma.org.uk/about/officers/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230601085205/https://ukma.org.uk/about/officers/ |archive-date=1 June 2023 |access-date=1 June 2023 |website=UK Metric Association|date=1 June 2023 }}</ref> {{As of|2023|04|post=,}} its patrons are [[Gavin Esler]], [[Jim Al-Khalili]], [[Lord Kinnock]] and [[Lord Taverne]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Patrons |url=https://ukma.org.uk/about/patrons/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221201083431/https://ukma.org.uk/about/patrons/ |archive-date=1 December 2022 |access-date=1 December 2022 |website=UK Metric Association|date=7 August 2022 }}</ref> |
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[[File:UK Metric Association logo.svg|thumb|200px|Original UKMA logo used prior to 2012 with the italic m. It was changed to the upright Roman m due to style guides which forbid the use of italics for metric symbols to avoid confusion with other scientific symbols.]] |
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| ⚫ | UKMA was founded by Chris Keenan in 1999 and formally associated in 2002 as an independent, non-party political, single-issue organisation. Later, an e-mail forum was started for supporters of metrication. In 2005, a website called ThinkMetric to help and encourage the general public to think in metric units was launched. In 2006, a blog called MetricViews was launched. |
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==Campaigns== |
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| ⚫ | The current chair of UKMA is Peter Burke, and the secretary is Ronnie Cohen.{{ |
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In July 2004, UKMA published its report, "A Very British Mess", as part of its campaign to end the simultaneous use of imperial and metric measurements and for the Government to complete the switch to metric units.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/half-measures--british-mess-2429206 |title=Half measures a ' British mess' |date=9 July 2004 |access-date=4 April 2023 |work=WalesOnline}}</ref><ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jkKpWdiSI4 |title=Measuring up |date=8 July 2004 |last=Kay |first=John |work=BBC News |via=YouTube |access-date=4 April 2023}}</ref> In the foreward, its patron [[Geoffrey Howe]] confesses that "I didn’t challenge the decision to abolish the [[Metrication Board]], when I was [[Chancellor of the Exchequer]]. I didn’t often run away from difficult decisions - but this is one that I did duck."<ref>{{cite web |title=A very British Mess |url=https://ukma.org.uk/publications/avbm-summary/ |publisher=UK Metric Association |access-date=27 December 2023}}</ref> |
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In February 2006, UKMA called for the Government to set a date for the conversion of road signs from imperial to metric units.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4741894.stm |title=Call for metric road sign switch |date=23 February 2006 |access-date=4 April 2023 |work=BBC News}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2006/feb/23/transport.immigrationpolicy |title=Campaign for £80m switch to kilometres |date=23 February 2006 |last=Clark |first=Andrew |access-date=4 April 2023 |work=The Guardian}}</ref> |
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== Strategies == |
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One of UKMA's strategies, aimed at getting their message to a wider audience including journalists and researchers, is to use ''Wikipedia'' as a conduit for their information. In an article in their December 2008 newsletter, members were urged to "correct any inaccuracies" in ''Wikipedia'' articles. It told about the "bias and inaccuracy" in metrication related articles, including [[Metrication in the United Kingdom]], and highlighted the importance of "keeping an eye on them [metrication articles], visiting them regularly and checking that nobody has reversed any changes that you have made."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://ukmetric.files.wordpress.com/2017/07/ukma-newsletter-6-4.pdf |title=UKMA News |date=December 2008 |page=4 |access-date=25 November 2019}}</ref> |
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==Publications== |
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UKMA has released four major reports, aimed at stimulating discussion in Britain about completing the transition to international standard units: |
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*[http://www.ukma.org.uk/avbm-summary''A very British mess''] ({{ISBN|0-7503-1014-6}}, 2004) is a survey of the use of units in the United Kingdom and the ways in which confusion can arise from the simultaneous use of two systems. It has also been used as a campaign slogan similarly. |
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*[http://www.ukma.org.uk/msa-summary''Metric signs ahead''] ({{ISBN|978-0-9552351-0-8}}, 2006) from February 2006 focuses on road signs, the last major area where current UK legislation mandates the use of miles, yards, feet and inches. The report estimates that the total cost of switching all of the UK's estimated 500,000 traffic signs from miles, yards and [[miles per hour]] to kilometres, metres and [[kilometres per hour]] would be £80 million (£160 per sign, including installation), of which £20 million would be for 200,000 speed limit signs. It argues that while, for safety reasons, all speed signs would have to be changed during a very short transition period (a few days), other road signs and markings that indicate distances or height restrictions could be changed more gradually, often in the course of [[Planned maintenance|routine maintenance]]. |
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*[https://ukma.org.uk/publications/still-a-mess''Still a Mess''] was published in 2014 and shows the results of a measurement unit survey commissioned by UKMA and carried out by YouGov to explore a number of aspects of public attitudes regarding measurement units in the UK, including people's understand of the relationship between different measurement units, what units people typically use for various purposes, level of support for the completion of the metric changeover and what impact party policies on metrication would have on how people will vote in elections. |
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*[https://ukma.org.uk/publications/vehicle-dimension-signs-report''Vehicle Dimension Signs Report''] was published in May 2014 and focuses on the progress in implementing dual signage for width, height and length vehicle dimension signs on British roads. It looks at the current situation with imperial-only and dual vehicle dimension signage, reviews of current practice and suggests improvements. It includes a survey of UK highway authorities on dimension signs and its results. It asks these authorities about current regulations, knowledge of current signage and plans for improvement. |
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In 2009, UKMA published an update to [http://www.ukma.org.uk/sites/default/files/msaupdate.pdf''Metric Signs Ahead''], which reflects the changes that have happened since the publication of the Metric Signs Ahead report. In the same year, UKMA published a traffic signs leaflet called [http://www.ukma.org.uk/traffic-signs-leaflet''Traffic Signs 2.0''], which recommends changes to UK road signs to improve clarity, legibility and safety by using universally understood symbols and units of measurement. |
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==Opposition== |
==Opposition== |
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The aims of UKMA contrast with those of the [[British Weights and Measures Association]] (BWMA), which opposes what it describes as "compulsory use of the metric system".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://bwma.org.uk/ |title=BWMA |access-date=30 October 2023 |work=BWMA}}</ref> BWMA also campaigns against what it calls "unlawful metric pedestrian signs".<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.transport-network.co.uk/Grayling-orders-councils-to-stop-%27bamboozling%27-pedestrians/15822 |title=Grayling orders councils to stop 'bamboozling' pedestrians |date=23 April 2019 |access-date=30 October 2023 |work=Transport Network}}</ref> It claims that "hundreds of unlawful metric signs have been converted back to imperial, following letters of complaint by BWMA and its supporters".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://bwma.org.uk/defending-imperial-road-signs/ |title=Defending Imperial Road Signs |access-date=30 October 2023 |work=BWMA}}</ref> |
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The aims of UKMA contrast with those of the [[British Weights and Measures Association]] (BWMA), which campaigns against compulsory [[Metrication in the United Kingdom]] and advocates the continued use of imperial measures. |
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==See also== |
==See also== |
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==References== |
==References== |
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* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4741894.stm 'Call for metric road sign switch'] ''BBC News'', 2006-02-23 |
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* [https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2006/feb/23/transport.immigrationpolicy 'Campaign for £80m switch to kilometres'], ''The Guardian'', 2006-02-23, p. 6 |
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==Notes== |
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{{reflist}} |
{{reflist}} |
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==External links== |
==External links== |
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*[ |
*[https://ukma.org.uk/ UK Metric Association website] |
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*[ |
*[https://metricviews.uk/ UK Metric Association blog] |
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*[ |
*[https://thinkmetric.uk/ UK Metric Association's ThinkMetric website] |
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[[Category:Metrication in the United Kingdom]] |
[[Category:Metrication in the United Kingdom]] |
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Latest revision as of 21:33, 27 December 2023
.jpg){kind=logo} | |
| Abbreviation | UKMA |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1999 (Constitution adopted in 2002) |
| Type | Advocacy group |
| Purpose | Promote metrication in the United Kingdom |
| Website | ukma.org.uk |
The UK Metric Association, or UKMA, is an advocacy group in the United Kingdom that argues for completion of metrication in the United Kingdom and advocates the use of the metric system among the general public in the UK.
History
[edit]UKMA was founded by Chris Keenan in 1999 and formally associated in 2002 as an independent, non-party political, single-issue organisation.[1] Later, an e-mail forum was started for supporters of metrication. In 2005, a website called ThinkMetric to help and encourage the general public to think in metric units was launched. In 2006, a blog called MetricViews was launched.[2]
The current chair of UKMA is Peter Burke, and the secretary is Ronnie Cohen.[3] As of April 2023,[update] its patrons are Gavin Esler, Jim Al-Khalili, Lord Kinnock and Lord Taverne.[4]
Campaigns
[edit]In July 2004, UKMA published its report, "A Very British Mess", as part of its campaign to end the simultaneous use of imperial and metric measurements and for the Government to complete the switch to metric units.[5][6] In the foreward, its patron Geoffrey Howe confesses that "I didn’t challenge the decision to abolish the Metrication Board, when I was Chancellor of the Exchequer. I didn’t often run away from difficult decisions - but this is one that I did duck."[7]
In February 2006, UKMA called for the Government to set a date for the conversion of road signs from imperial to metric units.[8][9]
Opposition
[edit]The aims of UKMA contrast with those of the British Weights and Measures Association (BWMA), which opposes what it describes as "compulsory use of the metric system".[10] BWMA also campaigns against what it calls "unlawful metric pedestrian signs".[11] It claims that "hundreds of unlawful metric signs have been converted back to imperial, following letters of complaint by BWMA and its supporters".[12]
See also
[edit]- Metric Martyrs – a group of English greengrocers who were convicted for using unapproved scales
- Metrication
- US Metric Association – the US metrication advocacy group that inspired the founding of the UKMA
References
[edit]- ^ "About". UK Metric Association. Archived from the original on 20 November 2022. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
- ^ "UKMA News" (PDF). WorldPress. UK Metric Association. December 2006. p. 1. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
- ^ "Officers". UK Metric Association. 1 June 2023. Archived from the original on 1 June 2023. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
- ^ "Patrons". UK Metric Association. 7 August 2022. Archived from the original on 1 December 2022. Retrieved 1 December 2022.
- ^ "Half measures a ' British mess'". WalesOnline. 9 July 2004. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
- ^ Kay, John (8 July 2004). Measuring up. BBC News. Retrieved 4 April 2023 – via YouTube.
- ^ "A very British Mess". UK Metric Association. Retrieved 27 December 2023.
- ^ "Call for metric road sign switch". BBC News. 23 February 2006. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
- ^ Clark, Andrew (23 February 2006). "Campaign for £80m switch to kilometres". The Guardian. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
- ^ "BWMA". BWMA. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
- ^ "Grayling orders councils to stop 'bamboozling' pedestrians". Transport Network. 23 April 2019. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
- ^ "Defending Imperial Road Signs". BWMA. Retrieved 30 October 2023.