Overgrown signs pledge

MP writes to Highways chief to complain about city’s obscured signage

Highways England have pledged to clear overgrown vegetation from the front of signs in Peterborough following complaints from the MP.

Peterborough MP Paul Bristow wrote to the chief executive of Highways England last week complaining about the state of some of the road signs on the A47 in the city, saying it was causing confusion for motorists in the area.

He said: “A number of Peterborough residents have contacted me to express concern about some issues along the A47, which runs through my constituency in Peterborough. Between junctions 15 and 20 in Peterborough there are significant sections of overgrown vegetation, which sometimes obstructs signs at the approaches to the junctions. This causes problems for some motorists, particularly those who are not familiar with the road.

“Indeed my mother, who has only lived in Peterborough for 37 years, regularly finds herself on the way to the A1 as she missed the Bretton junction. She blames overgrown vegetation!”

A Highways England spokesperson said: “Road signs and traffic information help people make informed decisions and have better journeys. When those signs are not clear or are inaccurate, it can be frustrating. We welcome any insight which has the potential to help us improve the work we already do to keep our signs clear, accurate and timely. When we hear of signs that may be obscured, we alert our local teams so they can ensure the signs are clear again as part of our routine maintenance.”

A Roadsign obscured by trees on the A47 near Bretton.