WHEN a team of workmen arrived at a Harpenden road to repaint the white lines down the middle, local residents thought it was going to be a simple enough task.

But instead of just repainting the existing faded line in Dalkeith Road, for reasons unknown the contractors decided to weave the line around four alternated two-hour parking bays which are defunct for 92 per cent of the time.

At all other times cars can park on both sides of the road, which is a main route to Crabtree Infants School.

Perplexed

The snaking road markings left drivers perplexed and local residents concerned there could be a serious accident so the highways team returned that evening to burn off the incorrect markings.

But local resident Bernard Stewart, who is part of the Dalkeith Road Residents Car Parking Zone Action Group which designed the layout of the parking bays, has been left questioning how such a mistake could be made in the first place.

He said: “It was a complete debacle, somebody was not thinking about what they were doing and it created a total nonsense. It was confusing for drivers and was just guaranteed to create accidents.

“Everybody I have spoken to that had driven down Dalkeith Road has said the same thing, they thought it was a complete joke.”

But Mr Stewart was grateful that Herts Highways took such swift action to burn off the lines although the markings were still visible and the correct line had yet to be painted.

A spokesperson at County Hall said: “Hertfordshire Highways paints hundreds of miles of road markings every year and very occasionally mistakes can happen. We corrected the error as soon as possible and apologise for any confusion caused by the mis-placed lines.”