The ‘sign-swapper’ has caused confusion in the West Country after road signs from different towns and villages were swapped for those belonging to other locations.
There have been confirmed cases of road signs reappearing out of place, such as those from Camerton in Somerset and the Jurassic Coast in Dorset showing up in Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire.
While the actual sign for Bradford-on-Avon ended up on Portland in Dorset, another from the tiny area of Waterlip, Somerset, has oddly surfaced in Midsomer Norton.
Bradford on Avon Town Council took to social media, posting an image of the misplaced ‘Camerton’ sign, which has taken over their local ‘Welcome to Bradford on Avon’ spot. Camerton is indeed part of the Bath and North East Somerset Council’s jurisdiction, sitting some 11 miles away from Bradford on Avon.
The council aired their concerns online on Friday, March 21, saying: “Thanks to everyone who’s reported that the Welcome to Bradford on Avon signs have been swapped out and we’re on the case.”
Asserting they were addressing the confusion, they added, “We’re looking into this and we hope to have the signs put back in their rightful place as soon as possible.”
A council spokesperson announced that very day that the mystery had been resolved and the sign replaced—only to find that the sign-stealers have been back at it.
Now residents have spotted that the sign has once more been exchanged for one indicating the Jurassic Coast, according to a recent post in the Spotted in Bradford on Avon Facebook group which said: “Yesterday Camerton… today Jurassic Coast..”
The sign, emblazoned with a blue ammonite and the words ‘Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site’, appears to have been relocated to Portland, a peninsula south of Weymouth. This was suggested by a post on Monday, March 24, which read: “Just incase anyone wondered where your signpost had gone.”
Parvis Khansari, corporate director for Place, responded to the initial switch with Camerton, saying: “We are aware that several road signs around the Bradford on Avon area have been swapped overnight for signs from Camerton near Radstock.
“We are in communication with Bath & North East Somerset Council in order to swap the signs back and it has also been reported to the police for further investigation.”
On the same day, B&NES Council confirmed they were investigating the initial swap and had reported it to the police.
Councillor Manda Rigby expressed her confusion, saying: “We know Camerton is not near Bradford on Avon. This was definitely not a sign put up by Bath & North East Somerset Council.
“We are as baffled as the town council. We have removed this sign and several others that appeared in the local area over the weekend and reported the matter to the police.”
She urged residents to report any incorrect signs in their area using the Fix My Street service.