A 20mph roundel which caused outrage among residents of an iconic Dundee street will be removed.
The painted road marking appeared on the setts of Strawberry Bank last week and was described as “despoiling” the street, which is part of the council’s West End Lanes Conservation Area.
Residents have now been told the sign will be removed.
The u-turn has been praised, but it has been warned remnants of the paint may remain for some time yet.
The sign was part of the local authority’s successful People for Spaces bid, which seeks to encourage active travel as the city eases out of lockdown.
A spokesman for Dundee City Council (DCC) last week said the use of the roundels will be under review in light of the anger from residents.
As well as spoiling the iconic view from the top of the street, people in the area also said the road sign may actually increase car speeds, as drivers may see 20mph as a target.
One resident said: “The thing about the sign is that it was almost an invitation to reach that speed when driving, when in fact it’s not really safe to drive any faster than 10mph because of how narrow the lane is.
“There is the aesthetic element as well, of course. This street is often photographed, used in student films and listed on several tourist guides.
“I’m glad the council have decided to remove it and made that decision so quick.
“I am very much in favour of the speed limit scheme in general, but I feel it wasn’t thought out to place the roundel there.
“The feeling among the residents is that it is a result for us.”
Councillor Fraser Macpherson was inundated with messages last week when the sign emerged, with one person describing it to him as “sheer vandalism”.
He said: “I talked with the current partnership manager of the Roads Maintenance Partnership, who has recently been appointed as the new head of Sustainable Transportation and Road Infrastructure.
“He’s always very helpful and he has agreed to remove the roundel, which is good news.
“As I have previously said, the large white roundel lining in iconic Strawberry Bank has rather made people see red as it is such a lovely lane, so I am grateful for the agreement to remove it.”
In a letter sent to West End councillors, Tayside Contracts road maintenance partnership manager Ewan Macnoughtan warned there may be residual white marks that his team will “seek to minimise”.
He wrote: “Depending on the extent we may require secondary visits to further cleanse or mask the area.”
A DCC spokesman said: “The 20mph road marking at Strawberrybank will be removed.
“The process may leave some white residue which could need more than one visit to remove completely.”
