This years long wet spring has meant that trees and bushes have grown more than usual and while normally occasional signs have been hidden this year it has become a real problem.
In the last fortnight we have driven from Oxfordshire to Somerset and back on different routes and have just returned from a trip to Lincolnshire and back and at times have had real trouble looking for signs.
Both journies were not unfamiliar to us, so we didn't have SatNav on but we were very conscious of even signs for motorway slip roads being invisible, let alone speed limit signs.
On one occasin we drew up at a T junction and the sign on the wall directly in front of us was so completely grown over, we didn't even see it until I took a sideways look as we turned in the direction we knew we had to go.
At the family gathering in Lincolnshire, where most had used Satnav to get there, everyone there had the same experience, of signs being invisible and over grown.
Surely the relevant authorities should be looking out for this kind of traffic hazard and dealing with it. They send teams round to clean signs regulalry, why not trim back the greenery?
If it is proven that something serious happened as a result of council neglect, I would have thought that they are leaving themselves wide open to being sued.
Yes, that occurred to me. I must say if I was the widow of the man killed, I would certainly do so.
It is the inconsistentcy of county highway departments that are busy installing 20 mph speed limits to reduce accident rates while leaving vision displays on junctions uncut thus increasing the probability of road accidents.
It's not just signs, people have to use paths and the sides of roads to walk along and they're often overgrown.
If you have a garden you should be responsible for the hedges on all sides, not just the ones seen from your windows, but many people forget the other sides and leave them to grow.
Especially these days!!
I nearly turned into a one way road, not the direction I would have been going in, because the sign was completely out of site in a bush
Fortunately the friend with me knew the area and stopped me.
Report to the Highways Department or your local Councillor r, signs are for a purpose and should be visible at all times. Be persistent.
See that regularly. Council and road authorities cut backs to blame in my opinion.
What other council services do you want to sacrifice to cut hedges?
Given most council budgets go to social care how about stopping funding of a few carers? care home places ?
I firmly believe that it should be a condition of claiming their benefits, that people who are out of work, (other than the disabled) should be made to do a certain amount of hours per week, doing tasks like litter picking, sign clearance, etc.
This would benefit the community they live in, not only in the appearance of the place, but also by helping to support their local Council in order to save tax going up even further.
I bet if this were a condition of claiming their benefits, those that are simply shirkers, would soon find paid employment, rather than do this type of work.
mumof2boys
What other council services do you want to sacrifice to cut hedges?
Given most council budgets go to social care how about stopping funding of a few carers? care home places ?
None.
Cutting back hedges to improve road safety is also a priority.
I'd like to see Councils able to use all the money they raise in Council tax not have it re-allocated by Central Government.
The Welsh Government had to re-pay £150 million back to Central Government because they failed to spend it within a certain timescale. Why could that money not be rolled over for larger projects?
I firmly believe that it should be a condition of claiming their benefits, that people who are out of work, (other than the disabled) should be made to do a certain amount of hours per week, doing tasks like litter picking, sign clearance, etc
They should make the illegal immigrants/AKA asylum seekers do this in exchange for the 4 star accommodation we keep them in.
The same happened to our DS in France last month though*, M0nica*. He approached a STOP sign, but because he was on the right side of the road in a righthand drive the sign was obscured by trees. (Not actually sure a left hand drive driver would have seen it either?). Anyway, smack from a car coming down the roaf at French speed from the left.
I am all for allowing wild areas to help wildlife but not at the risk of human life. There are many overgrown road signs, not to mention potholes, in my area. As well as that the Scottish government has wasted a lot of money putting place names in Gaelic on road signs which can be very distracting (when you can actually see them through the overhanging trees etc!) Gaelic (as well as English) is also used on ambulances, police vehicles etc. According to the 2021 census only 1.7% of the population of Scotland can speak, read, write or understand Gaelic …
The general idea now is that, if you see an issue then you report it to the local council. I understand they then have a certain time scale to address issues. Unless they know there is a problem, it won't be rectified.
Sarahr
The general idea now is that, if you see an issue then you report it to the local council. I understand they then have a certain time scale to address issues. Unless they know there is a problem, it won't be rectified.
That’s funny (not).
Several of our neighbourhood watch group reported the state of the large area of potholes on the corner of a frequently used road. That was back during Covid.
We reported it again a few months back.
Last week, a lorry and a van and several men appeared. They stood round the pothole area and had a discussion. One man got a piece of equipment out of the lorry. He pushed it up and down over the pothole area for several minutes. It was very noisy, but it didn’t actually do anything. Then they all got back in the lorry on the van and drove away.
The local council here (among many other budgeting measures) has cut the budget for maintaining local green spaces and the gardening company charged with the job have had to let staff go. Needless to say the verges ( which used to be trimmed by them) are tall bushy and verdant.
Getting out of our hamlet onto the main road is dangerous. A neighbour said if I took my shears to the tall weeds ( as I suggested) to improve visibility on the junction I could be liable for any accidents that occur at that junction. Could this be true?
Ditto here in Scotland! Either covered by overgrown trees or weeds so high on corners you cannot see what's coming if you're at a junction. Lamposts engulfed by tree branches etc
On the Somerset levels some joker turned a sign round completely! Just great, late on a misty autumn evening!
Margiknot
Getting out of our hamlet onto the main road is dangerous. A neighbour said if I took my shears to the tall weeds ( as I suggested) to improve visibility on the junction I could be liable for any accidents that occur at that junction. Could this be true?
I don’t know, but it would be interesting to find out. We were told if we put up fencing with sharp points at the top around the school, we would be liable if someone hurt themselves on it.
undines
On the Somerset levels some joker turned a sign round completely! Just great, late on a misty autumn evening!
We visited Wales the year after we were married, doing a Grand Tour.
It was at a time when one of the Welsh Nationalist Groups was protesting, they were turning signposts round to confuse visitors and holiday-makers.
We visited some interesting places quite unexpectedly.
Callistemon213
We had the same problem, and we too saw some interesting places.
That was in the days of no satnav, but even satnav can take you to some strange places by going the shortest route.
I was "clocked" some years ago for doing 32 in a 30 limit. The sign was covered in greenery. I complained and took photos but I still had to pay. Two days later the council moved the sign a few yards to a patch with no growth.
No apology and no refund.
Some Somerset signs are so overgrown that warning of bends are hidden and that is dangerous at night.
^ illegal immigrants/AKA asylum seekers^ How many times does it need to be said Assylum seekers are NOT illegal immigrants.
All assyum seekersand illegal immigrants come here wanting to work, to work hard and support themselves, and often families back home. the only reason they do not is because the government will not let them.
It’s no good*M0nica*, it’s too complex a concept for some. 😉
But illegal immigrants are starting their new life by doing something illegal.
Not quite sure how that’s a good idea if we endorse it.
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