Conwy: 20mph sign repeatedly vandalised in Llanrhos
A pair of defaced road signs in Llanrhos, near Llandudno, were daubed with paint for the second time this week.
Conwy Council cleaned and repaired the signs but they were again vandalised - this time with black and green paint.
It comes as the minister who led the introduction of Wales’ new 20mph limit faces a Conservative no confidence vote. Next Wednesday’s motion against deputy climate change minister Lee Waters will focus on a record-breaking petition opposing the lower limit.
The petition has almost reached 420,000 signatures. At the last Senedd election, almost as many people – 440,000 – voted for Welsh Labour.
The new limit, which applies to built-up areas, was introduced last Sunday, making Wales the first country in the UK to reduce the default speed from 30mph to 20mph.
Yesterday (Saturday), dozens of protesters gathered in Cardiff to voice their opposition.
In Llanrhos, a pair of road signs near a small roundabout in Conway Road were vandalised for the second time, this time with slogans.
Some residents living nearby claim the speed restriction is not needed. On Facebook, one said: “Both the two roads at that little white roundabout are long stretches of just mostly field on either side. It’s ridiculous!”
Another noted that a “SLOW” sign on the road surface is still present. “Slow down further to what – 5mph?” he said. “Crazy and confusing. There’ll be more accidents.”
Vandalism of signs has focused in north east Wales, mirroring local support for the anti-20mph petition. It’s believed few, if any, signs have been damaged or defaced in Gwynedd or Anglesey.
Conwy Council said defacing signs was a criminal act as well as being a safety risk to motorists. The local authority has made North Wales Police aware of the issue.
As in Conwy and elsewhere, damaged 20mph signs in Flintshire are being “replaced or corrected immediately”, the county council has said. “Any wilful damage reported to the police for further investigation,” said Katie Wilby, chief officer for Streetscene and transportation at Flintshire Council.
Neil Jones spotted the defaced signs in Llanrhos on an early-morning run today. He said. "I've been seeing the same thing happening all across Wales on social media. While I don't condone any form of criminal damage, I can understand the frustration and the feeling of last resort. The Welsh Government just won't listen to people."
More than 30,000 road signs have been altered or replaced at a cost of £32 million. Detractors have labelled the new regime as “utterly and totally confusing”.
The Welsh Government accepts it will take time for the new arrangements to bed in. Ministers say it will save lives and make communities safer in the long term.
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