Pensioner so fed up with faded road markings he repainted them himself
Faded road markings can be such a headache for drivers that it is no surprise some are taking matters into their own hands.
Peter Sharratt wanted to shame Cheshire East Council over the markings close to a ‘confusing’ roundabout in upmarket Knutsford, which he claims have become a death trap.
Armed with a can of white paint, the 71-year-old ventured out at dawn to finish the job himself.
He sprayed arrows indicating the lanes motorists need to be in to travel onto two different roads near the junction of the A50 and A5033.
The pensioner insisted it is this ‘lethal lack of markings’, which has led to regular near crashes.
‘I thought it was a very dangerous situation,’ the retired journalist said. ‘I regularly drive on this road and people are very confused about which lane they should be in.
‘I had witnessed a number of near crashes on the roundabout by people that do not know which lane they should be in.
‘I wrote to the council only to receive a perfunctory and unhelpful response. They did not say they were able to do anything any time soon.’
Peter has since dubbed his action in Knutsford ‘mark out to help out’, referencing Rishi Sunak’s Covid scheme that has lately been under fire.
He also said contractors dug up the road for electrical work two months ago, but never put it back to its previous condition.
He contacted Cheshire East Council about this problem but was again given an ‘unhelpful response.’
‘These markings were there for a very good reason. These signs urgently need doing,’ Peter added, calling for ‘permanent’ markings urgently.
‘This work should be put at the top of their priority list. It beggars belief that the council is now relying on a 71-year-old pensioner with a spray can to do the work we already pay them for.
‘When the council sanctioned contractors to dig up the road for electrical work on the bypass many months ago, they should have ensured it was put back into its previous condition.’
Metro.co.uk has contacted Cheshire East Council for a comment.
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