HC Deb 17 February 1971 vol 811 cc1825-6
28. Mrs. Sally Oppenheim

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many major road signs there are, between London and Gloucester on the A40 which name the city of Gloucester; and how many of these signs are placed at a distance of more than 38 miles from the city of Gloucester.

Mr. Eldon Griffiths

Gloucester appears on 21 modern signs of which three are more than 38 miles from Gloucester.

Mrs. Oppenheim

Would not my hon. Friend agree that this is totally inadequate signposting for a capital city of a county? Is he aware that on the same stretch of the A40 between London and Gloucester there are no fewer than 68 signs indicating the city of Cheltenham, which has a smaller population than Gloucester? Would he therefore take immediate steps to end this conspiracy of secrecy as to the whereabouts of Gloucester?

Mr. Griffiths

While I am sure that my right hon. Friend would wish to expedite traffic going to any city which was so fortunate as to be represented by my hon. Friend, the fact is that Cheltenham is the first city of traffic importance beyond Oxford and therefore inevitably pre-empts some signs. But that is geography and not some secret malice on the part of my Department.