People living in Witney and nearby villages have been left baffled and angered after a series of 20mph signs were erected in confusing locations, including next to a 30mph road marking.
The signs were rolled out last week by Oxfordshire County Council as part of its eight million pound 20mph restriction programme.
The three-year scheme sees the council introduce 20mph speeds as the new 30mph for communities where there is local support, with the aim being to reduce congestion and air pollution and make roads safer.
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In July, Witney became the first town to in the county to have the speed restrictions approved by the county council.
The implementation of the measures were called a “landmark moment” by Oxfordshire’s cabinet member for highways, Andrew Gant.
“Witney is the first and the biggest project we are undertaking in this phase of the programme and we believe these changes will make the town a safer, quieter, and less polluted place and will encourage more people to cycle and walk – reducing the county’s carbon footprint,” the Lib Dem councillor said at the time.
However, residents were left scratching their heads when the signs were unveiled, due to their perplexing locations.
One 20mph sign in Burford Road has been placed opposite a 40mph sign and two signs in New Yatt Road have been positioned either side of a 30mph road marking.
Baffled motorists took to social media to blast the new signs by calling them a “waste of money”, “stupid” and “confusing”.
Following the outcry, a spokesperson for Oxfordshire County Council told this newspaper: “We are grateful to residents for raising signage issues with us at some locations and we’ll deal with these issues as soon as possible.”
By the weekend the county council had swiftly covered the signs with black meshing.
County councillor Liam Walker, shadow cabinet member for highway management, said: “It seems they have put some of the signs in the wrong place. For example, in Burford Road – which is the area of the controversy – they have put the 20mph sign near to the main road, rather than the layby that runs alongside it.
“So drivers are confused whether they should be doing 20mph or 40mph, and then it changes to 30mph further along.”
The Conservative councillor, who represents Hanborough and Minster Lovell, explained much of the anger was directed at the cost of installing the signs in incorrection locations and the overall programme amid the Cost of Living Crisis.
“The county council should be setting an example of making our roads legally compliant and having mixed-messages on speed limits is not helpful for the overall programme of making our roads safer.
“You have got people driving along at 20mph being tailgated and honked at because actually it is a 40mph road.
“It does feel they are trying to rush these 20mph because it seems they have fallen behind with the programme. I appreciate the officers have a job to do but they have got to do it properly,” he added.
Oxfordshire County Council were approached for information on how it will proceed with the signs but failed to respond by deadline.
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This story was written by Sophie Perry. She joined the team in 2021 as a digital reporter.
You can get in touch with her by emailing: sophie.perry@newsquest.co.uk
Follow her on Twitter @itssophieperry
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