I live a stone's throw away from a Nuffield Hospital in Enfield. This hospital has had a sign on private property visible from The Ridgeway (A1005) saying "hospital entrance 50 metres" for at least the last five years. I was horrified to see today that someone had spray painted out the word "metres". I can't imagine why this has happened if not related to the campaign reported on this list.

While I don't condone any of the "direct action" I am reading about, I think this is even more despicable. It's one thing to target a local authority wilfully wasting taxpayers' money - after asking them nicely to comply - but this sign belongs to a non-profit health provider, a registered charity, for heaven's sake.

Please can the zealots in the "Guard the Yard" campaign show a little restraint?

Austin.

BWMA has not formulated a position on direct action, although the matter will be raised at the next committee meeting.

If BWMA were to support direct action, it would be likely that the following conditions would apply:

i) The signs affected are covered by the 1994 Traffic Regulations.

ii) The metric indications are unlawful.

iii) The signs are not damaged.

iv) Other information offered by the sign is left intact.

We invite comments on this topic via this forum.
Regards

I'm pleased to note that someone has removed the blue paint obliterating the word 'metres' from this sign. Whether this was the hospital's work or the result of a pang of conscience from the perpetrator I don't know.

I notice that the sign has now been inexpertly attacked with black spray paint and small white letters 'yds' affixed where it used to say 'metres'. Again, I appeal to you - don't attack private sector, let alone charitable, organizations who are not breaking any law.

BWMA can only support legal action against metric signs.

It is possible that moving or covering over metric signs is lawful when metric signs themselves are illegal. This is when they fall under the remit of the 1994 Traffic Regulations and General Directions that permit only UK units. Ultimately, only a court can rule on this and BWMA awaits the outcome of the current court case.

If the sign referred to by Austin does not fall under the above Regulations, then direct action against it cannot be regarded as lawful under any circumstances. Therefore, BWMA does not support such action.