SUFFOLK COUNTY COUNCIL ACCUSED OF CAUSING SAFETY ISSUES BY FAILING TO REPLACE BROKEN OR MISSING ROAD SIGNS

Council bosses in Suffolk have been accused this week of putting countless lives in peril, by failing to replace vital safety warning signs on the county’s roads.

Speed limit alerts and junction warnings in the Sudbury area are among hundreds of official signs across the county affected by rust – leaving drivers unaware of speed limits and potential hazards.

Large A-road direction indicators and village nameboards have also been reported missing or fallen, and Suffolk County Council has admitted that some roadside signs will never be replaced.

Bryn Hurren, Babergh councillor for the Box Vale ward – which covers Boxford, Brent Eleigh, Edwardstone, Groton, Milden and Monks Eleigh – raised safety concerns over the loss of signage.

“The number of signs fallen over, buried in hedges and invisible to motorists is a serious safety issue,” he said.

“It’s also not a good advert for our county and it sends a poor message to visitors.”

Suffolk County Council confirmed that it is prioritising sign replacements on a “risk-based defect response”, depending on the type of road and the type of road sign.

This means that many traditional cross-road fingerpost signs to towns and villages are not being renewed, leading to worries about potential difficulties for tourists and newcomers to Suffolk.

Frank Westbrook, who is visiting the area from the United States of America, said: “When I am in the UK, I have to use a map to get around.

“I rely heavily on proper road signs pointing towards towns and villages, so I know I am heading in the right direction.

“It’s really frustrating, especially in the countryside, if direction signs vanish.”

Road safety chiefs have joined in the criticism, slamming the county council for failing to maintain important information signs.

RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: “Visible signs are vital to road safety.

“Any council that fails to maintain theirs is putting the lives of every road user at risk.

“Drivers pay more than £45 billion a year in motoring taxation, so they have the right to expect minimum standards on the roads.

“Now, it seems, they’ve not just got to contend with potholes and faded lines, but broken or missing signs, too. If this is a sign of the times in the 21st century, then we’ve clearly reached a new low.”

In response, a spokeswoman for Suffolk Highways said: “Some mandatory signs that provide safety instructions to highway users and meet criteria are to be replaced or repaired during maintenance.

“Replacement of road signs that do not meet the criteria are considered for inclusion in planned maintenance programmes, which are carried out from April to March each year.

“Such signs are included on a growing register for consideration and are assessed and prioritised according to the sign and road type.

“A large directional sign on the A12, which is seen by thousands of motorists, will be given a higher priority over one on a minor road.

“The cost of replacing road signs can vary from a few hundred to thousands of pounds, depending on the type and size of the sign, the location, and the traffic management requirements for the work.”

2024-06-27T04:27:55Z dg43tfdfdgfd