Council say 'we have no legal choice but to remove graffiti from roads' ahead of demo to keep them
Plymouth City Council has issued a detailed statement
Plymouth City Council is warning it has a legal duty to treat any incidents on public highways as graffiti - following a spate of St George’s Crosses being painted.
It's as a demonstration is planned today over the planned removal of about 30 to 40 crosses on places like road signs and roundabouts.
The council is warning it could cost tens of thousands of pounds to remove them - because of the potential need for traffic management and some specialist materials.
Protestors have today said they will stage a 'peaceful and lawful' demo - asking people not to cover their faces and also to stick to footpaths. The council says whilst it respects the right to peaceful protest it's disappointed with the seeming lack of contact from campaigners.
A Plymouth City Council spokesperson said: “Plymouth is a proud and patriotic city, with a deep connection to our armed forces and a strong tradition of celebrating this pride by flying the Union Flag, the St George’s Cross, and the flags of Plymouth and Devon at a host of locations across the city.
"We are aware of the protest due to take place outside Ballard House on Monday in response to our stance on unauthorised England flag markings on highways across the city, as well as a counter protest.
“While we fully respect the right to peaceful protest, we are disappointed that the protestors have chosen to demonstrate outside a building where Council staff are working hard to deliver essential public services — particularly in areas such as children’s social care. To date, the protestors have not sought to engage with the Council or explain the reasons behind their protest, which is regrettable.
“To clarify the facts: despite what is being said online, only two roundabouts and one pedestrian crossing have been repainted by the council so far. However, around 30 highway locations have been reported with unauthorised markings. These markings are now being assessed and will be removed in order of priority, based on the level of risk they pose to road safety.
“It’s important to understand that markings on public highways must comply with strict legal standards. Unauthorised markings can cause confusion for road users and compromise safety. Each repainting operation can cost up to £660, due to the need for specialist materials and traffic management measures to protect our staff working in live traffic environments.
“We are treating these markings in the same way we would treat any other form of graffiti on the highway — as unauthorised and requiring removal in line with our legal responsibilities.
“We ask for the public’s understanding as we carry out this work in line with our legal responsibilities and our commitment to keeping Plymouth’s roads safe for everyone.”