12 Jul 2025
County highways bosses have bungled the installation of long-awaited 20mph speed signs on a St Stephen’s and St Julian’s estate.
Signage in the Tithe Barn estate have been put up on new posts despite there being ample suitable lamp posts, with many obscured by trees or other posts. They have also been installed in the middle of the estate and not at the ends of roads.
Residents have responded angrily to the county council’s failings. Erica said: “I was dismayed to see the recent installation of multiple new posts for 20mph signage along our local roads, especially where existing lampposts were already available and perfectly suitable for this purpose. The decision to erect additional posts right beside lampposts is not only visually disruptive—cluttering the streetscape—but also a troubling example of inefficiency in public spending.
“This kind of duplication raises serious questions about planning and oversight. Residents expect public funds to be used with care and common sense, particularly in the current economic climate where resources are stretched. Installing redundant posts adds unnecessary cost in both materials and labour, not to mention the environmental impact of producing and transporting them.
“It is inexcusable that such a basic oversight could occur when a more practical and economical solution was clearly available. I urge the responsible authorities to review how this happened and to put in place better checks to avoid similar waste in future.”
Joan added: “All the time, money and effort put into putting up these signs would have been better spent on repairing all the footpaths which are a disgrace and dangerous to everyone that live on this estate especially the elderly and poor sighted people.
“They could have painted 20mph on the road which would have been cheaper. Some people who live on the estate and some people who don’t ie. workmen do not slow down and drive too fast, that is not going to change.”
Michelle and Tom said: “Whilst we are in agreement regarding the focus to reduce speed in our neighbourhood, it’s very concerning the lack of common sense and waste of funds regarding the placement of the signs.
“We witnessed seven workpeople working until late evening to put one pole in Butt Field View. Which then the next day was moved. Most of the signs are not visible. They are also ineffective. They could have easily been attached to the existing lampposts. However, we feel there would be more beneficial ways to reduce the speeds.
“I wanted to also raise concerns regarding all the overgrown trees and hedges, especially on Butt Field View. Eventually, this will end up being quite dangerous for passing vehicles, especially where the fence has collapsed at the top of the road.”
Kevin said: “My main criticism is that the 20mph road signing work done in our locality is below the standard I would expect in any UK city.
“I would like to know how the council allowed this to happen, how they are going to put this right, and how they are going to prevent this happening in other parts of the city.”
County councillor for St Albans South, Cllr Sandy Walkington, said: “This scheme started with such support. Throughout my more than 12 years as their councillor, residents have constantly asked for Robert Avenue to be traffic managed to stop it being a race track. Making it part of a 20mph zone ticked all the boxes. So it is more than frustrating that the delivery and execution have been error strewn.
“One of the first things that the Lib Dems initiated when taking control of the council was a root and branch review of how 20 mph zones are conceived and delivered, which is now underway. We want the emphasis in future to be on common sense with less unnecessary gold-plating. But even without that review having started there is no excuse for the clutter of poles. Residents are right to ask why more of the existing street furniture could not have been used for the repeater signs. I am already in discussion with officers about whether the sign locations could be improved.
“Other areas of the county waiting for their own schemes could have benefited if more thought had been used here on how to deliver the scheme economically. It may be small consolation to residents, but I have been promised the errors here are being used as an object lesson in the review. And looking through a glass half-full, they do have a scheme when many parts of the county are still waiting for theirs. This scheme can and will be tweaked, the key measure will be whether it leads to lower speeds and less rat-running through their estate.”
