BUNGLING road officials have been forced to remove a giant “safety” sign they put outside a woman’s home without permission – blocking her view of the main road.
To make matters even worse, the huge chevrons warning of a bend pointed in different directions.
Exasperated Elvira Neame, 54, discovered the blunder when she returned to her cottage in Laggan on the A86 between Aviemore and Fort William.
The jewellery maker had been given no warning that the safety signs were about to be put up.
After complaining the signs were “hazardous” and “illogical”, road managers Scotland Transerv agreed to return and remove one of them.
Mrs Neame, who was worried the signs would lower the value of her home, said: “I came home from a holiday arriving after dark.
“In the morning I woke and drew the curtains looking forward to the familiar view of the memorial opposite and ascending hills behind surmounted by Cluny’s monument, to be confronted – or should I say affronted? By two large grey squares dominating my front garden.
“Without any consultation or warning two anormous road signs had been planted right in front of my house.
“On further investigation I discovered them to be rather ambiguously placed chevrons pointing in opposing directions, presumably to confuse any traffic passing in either direction, their message being both contrary and illogical.”
The road signs, which were placed on a straight stretch of the road, obstructed her view of the trunk road, she added.
She said: “On leaving my gateway, I realised that they also obscured my view of any oncoming traffic, thus rendering entry and exit somewhat hazardous.
“This is galling in view of the fact that the roads people who erected them there refused me any chance of opening a studio or shop on the grounds that my access was dangerous.”
A Scotland Transerv spokesman said: “Scotland Transerv places importance on feedback and once more this concern was raised the need for signage was re-evaluated and it was removed.”
