A set of 20mph road signs in Welshpool, which were installed as part of the new speed limit throughout Wales, have been vandalised with paint.
Two speed limit signs by the Old Station in Welshpool, alongside the B4381, were recently defaced with black spray paint.
The latest act of vandalism comes after numerous reports of 20mph signs across Wales have been defaced, with some people lashing out at the introduction of the 20mph speed limit on residential roads.
Road signs across Powys were changed or erected to be in line with the introduction of the new 20mph speed limit, which came into effect across Wales in September 2023.
The change has proven to be controversial with motorists throughout the country. While many have campaigned to scrap the change via petitions, including one that has been signed by 450,000 people, a select few have lashed out with vandalism.
In response to the vandalism, a spokesperson for Powys County Council said: “The introduction of the 20mph speed limit across Wales was implemented, as planned, back in September.
“In Powys we have installed over 1,600 new 20mph signs along more than 5,500km of the county road network. Although there have been a few incidents of signs being refaced or vandalised, these have been isolated cases which have quickly been dealt with at a local level.
“Welsh Government states that vandalism of signs is totally unacceptable and such action will not lead to a change in the policy and the default speed limit but is a waste of scarce resources and officer time when councils are contending with a range of different pressures.
“This is being reported to the police and intelligence on the vandalism should be passed onto them.”
The Welshpool signs being vandalised come less than a month after signs in Arddleen, just outside Welshpool, were defaced with spray paint. The incident became the first instance of a 20mph sign being vandalised in Powys.
Removing or destroying a traffic/speed sign can result in up to a £1000 fine according to the UK Highways Act (1980).
The Highways Act states: "If a person without lawful authority or excuse pulls down or obliterates a traffic sign placed on or over a highway, or a milestone or direction post (not being a traffic sign) so placed, he is guilty of an offence; but it is a defence in any proceedings under this subsection to show that the traffic sign, milestone or post was not lawfully so placed."
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