Council 20mph speed limit painting error costs £5k

Workers painted three 20mph roundels after an "unauthorised individual" added to white spray paint they were using as a guide

The installation and removal of three 20mph road markings painted by mistake has cost a council £5,000.

Hemdean Road, in Reading, was recently resurfaced and an "unauthorised individual" added to white spray paint on the pavement that workers were using as a guide.

This led to 20mph roundels being painted, causing confusion for drivers on the road, which has a 30mph limit apart from a short stretch by Caversham Primary School.

Reading Borough Council said there were no plans to introduce a 20mph speed limit on the road.

Council contractors followed these white markings on the pavement, added by a member of the public.

A spokesperson said: "After resurfacing was carried out on Hemdean Road, an unauthorised individual used spray paint to indicate that 20mph roundel markings should be added to the carriageway.

"Unfortunately, the council's line painting contractor applied these three roundels as well as the correct markings.

"When this was discovered, the illegitimate roundels were removed at a cost of almost £5,000 to the council.

"This covered the hire of equipment to remove the roundels and traffic management while the work was carried out."

Stephen Scott, vice chair of the road safety marking association told BBC Radio Berkshire: "When the crew came along to put the permanent markings in they saw a 20 on the pavement so they painted a 20 in the road."

"It does happen from time to time, you're concentrating on the very word or letter you're marking at that time and don't look at the bigger scale of what you're doing."

"The roundel in the road has no legal enforcement, it's not the legal sign. It's just a reminder to the traffic that that is the speed limit."