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Let's signpost our town!
By Susannah Berry
THE Wetherby News today resurrects its Signpost Our Town campaign in a bid to force a change in motorway signage regulations.
The campaign - first launched in October 2008 - will again aim to secure better signposting for Wetherby on the new A1(M) road junctions following renewed calls from Wetherby councillors, parliamentary candidates and local businesses.
This time the campaign will, in particular, seek to install brown tourist signs near Wetherby to highlight everything the town has to offer and attract passing motorists heading north or south.
But in order to secure that all-important brown sign, our Signpost Our Town campaign will have to force a change in Highways Agency motorway signage regulations.
According to an email from Alec Briggs, Senior Project Manager for the Highways Agency who oversaw the three year Wetherby A1 upgrade, current regulations stipulate that historic market town signs cannot be placed on motorways.
The email states: “There used to be a 'Historic Market Town' sign on the A1 trunk road prior to the former sliproad exit at Wetherby Grange.
“But our regulations state that Historic Market Town signs may not be placed on a motorway, so it would therefore be unlawful to erect such a sign on the new A1(M). The old sign was removed and recycled during the construction.”
But Wetherby ward councillor Alan Lamb said he simply “did not accept” that it would be, in effect, illegal to have brown signs erected on the new A1(M) near Wetherby.
He said: “If it is legal to have a brown sign for Alton Towers at Junction 23 on the M1 why is it illegal for Wetherby to have one?
“The Highways Agency didn’t ask anybody or consult with anyone if they could take the historic market town sign down when they started the upgrade three years ago they just did it and now they refuse to explore alternative options with us.
“I am all for minimal signs on major roads but I strongly believe a brown sign for Wetherby is necessary to get back the level of visitors the town used to attract before the road works took place.”
Coun Lamb said if officers of the Highways Agency stuck to their policy then he, with the help of the Wetherby News, would lobby ministers.
“I will ask them if allowing a highways policy that contributes to restricting visitors coming into pretty market towns like Wetherby is really what they want and intend,” he said.
Harewood ward councillor and prospective Conservative parliamentary candidate Alec Shelbrooke said he believed the removal of Wetherby’s original brown sign had almost “destroyed the economic viability of the town”.
“In this day and age branding is very important and when people drive down this country’s motorways or A roads and see a brown sign it immediately attracts their attention.”
The Highways Agency maintains Wetherby is now signed from the motorway by large blue backed motorway signing.
l Tell us what you think. Support our campaign for a brown sign for Wetherby by emailing us at wetherby.news@ypn.co.uk with your views or write to us at Wetherby News, 9 Westgate, LS22 6LL.
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Weather for Wetherby
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: East
