Derbyshire County Council's cabinet voted on Tuesday to adopt a new policy that limits roadside tributes to a maximum term of 12 weeks.

Police family liaison officers will accompany bereaved friends and family who wish to lay tributes at crash sites and will also make sure tributes are left in a safe place.

After 12 weeks, council staff will clear away tributes, with any non-floral tokens stored for relatives to collect.

Cllr Clive Moesby, community safety chief, said that the policy was being introduced to "maintain the safest possible conditions on Derbyshire's roads."

He added: "People who stop at the site of a crash to place flowers or maintain tributes could be putting themselves at risk, and flowers and tributes can provide a visual distraction to road users.

"We appreciate this is a very sensitive issue for people who have lost loved ones and so we felt clear guidance was needed."

The council received 145 consultation responses on the policy.
Half of these were completed questionnaires in which around 85
per cent of people said that they 'agreed' or 'strongly agreed' with the overall policy. Of the written comments received, 60 per cent were in support.

Council chiefs are considering establishing a countywide memorial such as a small area of woodland dedicated to the memory of those killed on Derbyshire's roads.

Cynthia Barlow, chairman of charity Roadpeace, which represents bereaved and injured road crash victims, said: "I think it's important that if councils are going to clear street memorials away they treat the sites with respect and also advise families of what they can do for a more permanent memorial."

helen.beighton@derbyshiretimes.co.uk