A few years ago someone nicked a lot of the metal road signs in our area. I don't know if the replacements are now plastic but there is still the possibility of signs being knocked down by errant drivers or vandalised so absolute reliance on them would be questionable.
. A lot of the plates are glasfibre, beats the scrap collectors.
.+8 Now gone for a 1800 4/4. Duratec in bright yellow.