Lives at risk warning' over rogue signs at Wyke

Highway chiefs have condemned as “crassly irresponsible” the pranksters who put up the sign close to a speed camera on Woodside Road, in Wyke, Bradford.

A nearby resident said the camera had flashed like a “strobe disco light” after motorists unwittingly sped up before passing it.

Bradford Council yesterday removed the sign, which it believes was installed by a member of the public several days ago near the junction with Carr House Lane.

Dave Clarke, a HGV driver, of Carr House Mount, said: “People were coming at 30mph but this sign brought them back up to 40mph so people were picking their speed up and setting the flash off.

“Some evenings it’s been like a strobe disco light. There have obviously been a lot of people who have been caught by it.

“Whoever has placed the sign there, it’s a stupid thing to do. It costs time and effort for all those involved in the fines process."

Darren Badrock, Bradford Council’s principal engineer for Bradford South, said: “The 40mph sign was not put up by the Council and appears to have been placed there by a member of the public. We have now removed it.

“Whoever put it up may think it was just a practical joke but it is actually crassly irresponsible.

“We lowered the limit to 30mph on Woodside Road because there had been 157 casualties on the A641 over three years. Encouraging people to drive faster than the speed limit may put lives at risk."

“Anyone who receives a fixed penalty notice related to the camera monitoring traffic travelling north on Woodside Road, between High Fernley Road and Carr House Lane, who believes the unauthorised sign was a factor should contact the partnership.”

A West Yorkshire Police Spokesman said: “Concern was raised about the road sign marked 40mph in Wyke, which was incorrect.

“However, when officers attended to have a look, it had been removed.”

• Read the full story in Thursday's T&A