A perplexing occurrence left local residents with questions after Spanish road signs were spotted around their village. The signs were put in Tarleton, West Lancashire. To this day, no official explanation for the unusual appearance of the signs is available, but locals have their guesses.
Local resident Brand McCloud lives in the house closest to the signs and says they have been there for at least five years. Tarleton, near Preston, is a small farming community in the North West of England, so it’s surprising to see any foreign-language signage here. But locals suspect that the signs were placed there to help foreign trucks from getting stuck in tight lanes or dead ends. The signs read ‘Camiones No Pasar’, which is Spanish for ‘Trucks Do Not Pass’.
The signs were made to look rather official, given the white writing on a blue background. However, the council said that they had nothing to do with the installation of these Spanish signs.
A Lancashire County Council spokesperson confirmed that the council had been made aware of the signs, which it says are unauthorised and will be removed.
“The signage has not been authorised by us, and is not permitted under UK legislation,” they said. “There are no current restrictions on access for HGVs here. As such, our highway maintenance officers will be removing it.”
It remains unclear why the road signs appear in Spanish. However, some locals believe it might be related to the market gardening that the area is known for.
The Department for Transport is responsible for issuing rules and guidance for traffic authorities when it comes to road signs and road markings. The Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016 (TSRGD) lists the conditions of use and designs for road signs to be placed in England, Wales and Scotland.
It states that traffic signs in the UK must be simple and concise so they can be interpreted quickly.
