Hoax speed signs have appeared at a Perthshire town hit by tragedy.
Safety campaigners have taken direct action to put the brakes on speeding motorists entering Coupar Angus.
All 30 mph signs at the town’s four entrances have been altered, creating an unofficial blanket 20 mph zone.
Protesters say calls for safety measures have been dismissed by council chiefs since they were first raised more than a decade ago.
The covert operation, which has been condemned by police, follows the shock death of two-year-old Harlow Edwards who was killed in an accident on Forfar Road during the school holidays.
The toddler was struck when two vehicles collided just after 3pm on Thursday, October 13. Harlow’s older brother and sister were also seriously hurt. The youngster’s funeral will take place in Dundee on Tuesday.
Police Scotland has stressed that defacing road signs is a criminal offence and potentially jeopardises their own enforcement efforts.
Community council chairwoman Wendy McCombes said the person responsible for the altered signposts had not been identified.
“I’ve read comments online about how this was illegal and irresponsible, but I think more importantly it shows the strength of feeling and frustration that there is in the town,” she said.
“People feel that Coupar Angus is being marginalised when it comes to road safety measures.”
The community council has now urged Perth and Kinross Council to arrange a public meeting to give locals the chance to raise safety issues with roads officials.
Records show that concerns about Forfar Road and other routes were raised as far back as 16 years ago.
The watchdog group has also called for planned work on a traffic exclusion zone around Coupar Angus Primary School to be postponed until a new, wide-ranging road safety plan is in place.
“We need to look at what kind of action can be taken and it’s important to be able to discuss this with roads engineers,” said Mrs McCombes.
Police are now hunting for the people behind the fake signs. They are believed to have struck after dark on Saturday.
Inspector Ray Cuthill of Tayside’s road policing unit said: “Coupar Angus is a close knit community and we are aware that the recent road traffic collision resulting in the death of a local two year old girl will have impacted upon many.
“Our thoughts continue to be with her family and everyone affected by the collision.”
He added: “Unfortunately, an individual or individuals have defaced some existing 30mph speed limit signs in Coupar Angus.
“Police Scotland regularly carry out speed enforcement activity in the area and altering statutory signs, as well as being an offence, risks jeopardising police efforts to enforce the existing legal speed limit.”
In a response to a query by a local resident, Strathmore councillor Alan Grant said the unofficial alterations “may well be an offence against road traffic regulations”.
He added: “Changes to speed limits can only be effected following an official process and that has not even been started. In this circumstance the only action the Council can take at present is to remove these illegal signs.”
