Call to remove old road signs 'blighting Shropshire's verges'
Highways contractors are being urged to remove old road signs “that blight roadside verges”.
Councillor Ed Potter (Conservative, Loton) has called on Shropshire Council to adopt a policy instructing all highway teams and contractors, including utility companies, to remove disused and broken signs left behind by previous schemes. He is also asking the chief executive to write to National Highways to ask for a similar approach.
“We all know that litter blights our roadside verges,” said Councillor Potter.
“This includes an increasing number of disused and broken temporary road signs which have been left behind and often over time lost in the undergrowth along our verges and roadside. In the Loton division, this is a particular problem along the A5 and A458 as well as the more rural side roads.
“Once the growing season starts these signs often get covered by the vegetation and then are subsequently damaged by the hedge cutters which cut the verges.
“It would make sense, when there are road closures on these busy roads, that these disused highways signs, sandbags and traffic cones are removed.
“On the more minor roads and on traffic islands, these could be collected by highways contractors whilst going about their daily routines and deposited back at highways depots for reuse or recycling.
“It is important to our residents that we all take civic pride in where we live and these simple actions of removing these discarded items will make a big difference.”
Councillor Potter’s motion will be heard by Shropshire Council this Thursday (July 17).
