Claims made by the county council to have repaired every faulty road sign in Herts have been rubbished by drivers.

The boast appeared in the spring edition of the county’s Horizons magazine under a section entitled ‘Hertfordshire’s roads get a makeover’.

The magazine said: “Hertfordshire County Council has visited every one of the 86,000 road signs in the county and, where required, cleaned them, changed bulbs in lit signs, and carried out some repairs or replacements.”

Yet driver Alan Robinson disputes this, asking: “Have you missed St Albans and surrounds?

“There are almost unreadable signs on both the A5183 and A5, as well as various other places around.”

He says on the morning of Friday, March 24, he spotted dirty signs on major St Albans routes such as Hatfield Road, Beechwood Avenue, Marshalswick Lane, Beech Road, Batchwood Drive, Verulam Road, Holywell Hill, and St Stephens Hill.

Mr Robinson said: “I can honestly say that there has not been a road without road signs, street name plates, and refuge lights, that are not just a bit dirty, but filthy.

“And this is whilst I have been concentrating on my driving.”

Local litter campaigner Jack Hill told county councillor Sandy Walkington: “This claim is so over the top I can’t stop grinding my teeth.

“This morning I checked several signs in the lanes west of St Albans and they are still awaiting attention, either by cleaning off algae, realigning a finger post or carrying out promised works on a regular flood spot in Blunts Lane.”

Cllr Walkington said: “Horizons would make Pravda blush, it is just puff and an opportunity for the leader of the county council to circulate his photograph at taxpayers’ expense.

“What does it mean when they boast they have ‘visited’ all 86,000 signs in the county?

“There are so many signposts still bent, not lit when they should be lit, and certainly not cleaned.

“It looks like the money ran out when they reached St Albans.”

In response, the county council said: “We have visited more than 86,000 roads signs that are maintained by the county council across the whole of Hertfordshire and where required cleaned, repaired or replaced.

“With the best will in the world, some signs may not have been attended or missed, particularly given the number of different signs placed on the highway over the years by different organisations.

“It’s also worth noting that our project has focussed on highway signs owned by the county council, and we have not cleaned street name signs or parking restriction signs and the like.”

You can report faulty highway signs to the council via www.hertfordshire.gv.uk/highwayfaultsHave you seen a sign that’s dirty, bent over, or unlit? Send us your pictures!