‘Welcome to Bapford’ – spelling mistake in sign saga

AFTER waiting months for new signs, a parish council’s delight was turned into dismay last week because of a spelling error.

After seven months of pressurising the highways department for new signs to take heavy traffic from the bridges in Basford Bridge Lane, Cheddleton Parish Council were finally rewarded last week when workman came to erect the signs on the A520.

However, after they were erected it was soon noticed that Basford had been misspelt as Bapford.

Cheddleton Parish Council chairman, Mike Bowen, said: “After around seven months of promises and several years of lobbying and pressurising Staffordshire County Council to take action on the preservation and safety of the bridges in Basford Bridge Lane, Cheddleton, signs were finally being erected on the A520 to redirect large, overweight vehicles away from the lane.

“Any delight, however, swiftly evaporated when it was revealed that, after all this time, these expensive signs were incorrectly spelt.

“Doesn’t anyone at Staffordshire County Council, or the sign manufacturers, proof read these things before they are produced?

“Do we now have to wait another number of months before this is corrected?

“Is this really a good use of our council taxpayers money? It might be quicker and easier to just change the name of the lane! As is often said, ‘You couldn’t make it up!”

The signs were quickly removed from their location following the spelling mistake.

Council clerk Louise Eyre said it was noticed that the signs said Bapford instead of Basford.

She said: “I contacted highway officers at Staffordshire County Council highways who had been coordinating the signs. They said they would contact them straight away over the mistake.”

County councillor for the area, Councillor Mike Worthington, said he would be taking up the matter with highway officers.

He said: “I could not believe it. I do not know who to blame. It is embarrassing for the county council. I am very disappointed as we have been trying for some time to get the signs completed.”

Meanwhile, several residents have taken to the Cheddleton Chat facebook page to share their dismay about the project.