Chesterfield pensioner fixes road sign himself - after waiting a month for the council to do it

After being knocked by a vehicle, the give way sign at the junction of High Street and Woodmere Drive was facing the wrong way.

David France, 75, of Lakeside Close, first reported the issue to Derbyshire County Council on June 22 – but a month later was still waiting for the work to be done.

After becoming frustrated with the council’s lack of action, David decided to get up a ladder and do it himself – taking a Derbyshire Times photographer along to prove it.

“Since the sign was knocked there has been near miss after near miss. In the end a 75-year-old codger like me has had to get up a ladder to put it right.

“There is no excuse. It doesn’t take special equipment but it is vital for the people who live on these roads.”

David says that while the reporting system on the council’s website is good in theory, there is little point in it if they don’t take any notice of it.

“It’s not what I pay £160 a month in Council Tax for,” David added. He now wants the council to look into the possibility of securing a more permanent solution with a bigger sign in a better location.

A spokesman for Derbyshire County Council confirmed they had received a report from Mr France and were sorry he felt they didn’t act quickly enough.

He added that jobs had to be prioritised and that they were looking into the possibility of moving the sign.