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`Metric Martyrs' prevail: imperial measures also to stay

British politicians, business groups celebrate victory against EU's `enforced metrification'

LONDON: The European Union has abandoned plans to phase out Britain's imperial measures, EU officials said. The decision will allow old-fashioned yards, feet, inches, pounds, ounces and gallons to coexist with the official metres, grams, and litres.

The Metric Martyrs, a lobbying group, said it felt vindicated by years of struggle that began when a trader was convicted in 2001 for refusing to sell bananas by the kilogram.

"It has been `people power' that has forced the European Commission and the government to abandon the enforced metrication programme," Metric Martyrs chief Neil Herron said in a statement.

AP

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