Delays after prankster unplugs traffic lights
CCTV PASSED ON TO POLICE FOLLOWING INCIDENT
A PRANKSTER caused traffic tailbacks for hours by shinning up an eight foot pole and unplugging a set of traffic lights.
Motorists were forced to slow right down and queue after the joker disconnected the temporary set of lights in Kettering Road, Market Harborough, on Saturday.
Harborough district councillor Sarah Hill called Leicestershire County Council about the problem after spotting the problem on a Twitter post.
“The lights must have been out for a good few hours,” she said. “I went through at about 9am and they were out then.
“I called the county council and they sent an emergency team out to fix the problem.
“Those connections are about eight feet up so I think someone shinned up there for a lark.
“Either that or they got on someone’s shoulders.
“Who knows what people get up to for their idea of fun.”
The traffic lights were installed last year to improve safety for drivers and cyclists on the narrow stretch of road, initially on a temporary basis.
A spokesman for the county council said: “Unfortunately, over the weekend temporary traffic lights in Kettering Road, Market Harborough, lost power.
“As soon as we were alerted to this the traffic lights were reinstated by highways crews.
“CCTV does indicate that the lights were tampered with.
“Incidents like this are frustrating and put motorists and pedestrians in danger.
“The CCTV video taken from the traffic lights will be passed on to the police and the crews that attended the lights on Saturday put in further security measures.”
The lights had been branded “an accident waiting to happen” because they could not be seen by approaching motorists.
Councillor Amanda Nunn said they were dangerous as they could not be seen clearly by approaching drivers.