HC Deb 03 July 1940 vol 362 c848W
Sir A. Baillie

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that in parts of the country the removal of direction signs has been carried out slowly and imperfectly; when he proposes to institute prosecutions; and whether such prosecutions will entail a fine of daily enforcement so long as the offending direction signs are not obliterated?

Sir J. Anderson

The Removal of Direction Signs Order, 1940, requires the removal or obliteration of all direction signs which can be seen and understood from a highway, except such as are exempted from the Order by a chief officer of police. It is for chief officers of police to decide whether proceedings should be taken in any particular case where a sign is displayed in contravention of the Order, and in addition to taking proceedings the police may themselves obliterate, remove, or conceal any such sign. The maximum fine for contravention of the Order is £100 on summary conviction and £500 on conviction on indictment.