The Conserberal government in Westminster has a Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government. He is Eric Pickles who is a Conservative MP for an Essex constituency. One of his first acts in office was to urge councils to stop blighting towns with unnecessary signs and other street clutter.A couple of days ago I watched in awe as a team of Denbighshire County Council workmen erected signs, one at the entrance to Rhyl bus station and one in the middle of the station, telling bus drivers to SLOW DOWN.
Those came in addition to Denbighshire council signs shown above.
Signs that state the obvious are insulting; signs that are unclear in their meaning are frustrating; and a proliferation of signs can seem oppressive. It is amazing that councillors and staff have been sitting around tables authorising the things for years without ever seeing them for what they are – a kind of pollution.
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On the other hand, decorating public places can improve the environment. The photograph below shows a mural in the bus station. The design incorporates the old Pavilion and the pier with wind turbines to the left and Skytower to the right. The mural brightens up a blank wall, although I am disappointed to find that there are no plans to make it more colourful.
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