Fight for A10 sign is lost

A BROWN tourist sign on the A10 near Buntingford has been taken down despite MP Oliver Heald and town councillors fighting to keep it in place. The Highways Agency took the sign down because it said it did not conform to specific requirements. Mr Heald, MP for North East Herts, said: "I just think it's a great pity because the agency is not going to be in charge of the A10 for much longer once it is de-trunked in April. "It says it's necessary for safety, but you see a lot of other similar signs across the country. "It's been there for a long time and nothing has been said about it before, nor has anything been done about the safety of the Westmill turning for which people were hoping. "I just wish they would get their priorities right instead of pulling down a sign that everyone likes," he said. Town councillor Pat Whittaker said: "It has really maddened me. The sign was taken down deliberately late at night. "It has all been done as an exercise, but the signs have got nothing to do with accidents. "Instead, the problem could be solved if the agency blocked off the northern turning of Westmill. "There are 34 signs along the A10, so why take down our sign and keep Hertford's brown tourist sign which is exactly the same?" A Highways Agency spokesman said: "The sign at Hertford is not being removed because it does not form part of the Westmill safety scheme. "Signs are removed where necessary when a scheme is taking place at that location. "The Buntingford tourist sign located on the A10 at Westmill has now been removed as part of the Highways Agency's accident reduction scheme. The sign no longer complies with the agency's tourist signing regulations for trunk roads." The sign has been given back to Buntingford Town Council which was instrumental in having it erected almost six years ago.