CONFUSION continues to reign as to why street signs deterring lorries from driving through London Colney have been covered up with black bin liners.

The traffic signs, located on the High Street, were found by London Colney councillor Jacob Quagliozzi while investigating complaints about broken and missing signs in the village.

After reporting the issue to Herts county council (HCC) he was told they had now been uncovered but when he went to check he found they were still hidden by plastic bags.

Cllr Quagliozzi said: “The signs are there to be abided by, it makes a mockery of having road signs if people just cover up ones that are inconvenient to them.”

He also flagged up a battered-looking ‘Welcome to London Colney’ sign for urgent attention as it “smacks of neglect”, to be told a replacement would be considered in the future.

Fellow St Albans district councillor Chris White claimed he received a similar response when he recently asked HCC to restore a faded ‘no entry’ sign at the entrance to Market Place in the city centre.

Cllr White said: “It is performing no useful function at all unless you know it is a ‘no entry’ sign. It means you are going to get traffic going the wrong way.

“I put in a request for it to be dealt with, I didn’t expect for it to be dealt with straightaway but I didn’t expect to be fobbed off.

“I want to see it replaced and to know that complaints are being taken seriously.”

Matthew Kelley, Ringway divisional manager working on behalf of HCC, said: “We are aware of these signs and replacements are due to be scheduled into our work programme shortly.”

Mr Kelley added the ‘no entry’ sign was still “perfectly visible and serviceable”, and said the signs in London Colney were due to be uncovered yesterday.