Pylon protest signs removed by council

 

Montgomeryshire MP Glyn Davies raised the alarm over the weekend after a friend informed him that his sign had been removed, but Powys has defended its action saying that all signs will be taken that ‘do not conform to highway regulations’.

 

Mr Davies said sarcastically: “A friend of mine put up a sign outside his property declaring his opposition to pylons/turbines etc. And those wonderful public servants at Powys County Council sent out a van (plus man/men) to remove it (So I'm told anyway). We are so lucky to have a Council so dedicated and so wealthy that we can afford such diligence!”

 

The Montgomeryshire road sides are lined with hundreds of banners and signs opposing plans to erect more than 600 wind turbines, a substation and pylons in the shire’s uplands. But Powys has defended its actions, explaining that it is not just anti-pylon and turbine signs being removed, but any that break the law.

 

A spokesperson for Powys County Council said: “We have removed a number of signs from the road verges and those attached to road signs as they are unauthorised signs and do not conform to highway regulations.

“These signs, which have been taken back to the local highway depots, have the potential to cause a distraction for motorists and we have a duty to remove them.”

 

The spokesperson added that signs located in the hedges or on fences would not be touched.

 

However, it has not gone down well with protesters.

 

Myfanwy Alexander from Montgomeryshire Against Pylons raged: “Obviously, safety must be a priority for the council but freedom of speech is important as well. We take the greatest care to put our signs in places where they will catch the eye without causing danger. However, it is fair to point out that the traffic chaos caused by the turbine convoys will be dangerous as traffic volumes are driven off the main routes onto narrow roads.”