Incorrect Leighton Buzzard road signs 'could have caused an accident' claims driver
Incorrectly positioned road signs in Leighton Buzzard "could have caused an accident", a driver has claimed.
The motorist – who is not local to the town – said he was left "bemused and concerned" when he nearly made a wrong turn as he was approaching the junction for Leighton Road as it diverts left to Stanbridge.
And the father – who had his baby girl in the car – said he wants to warn drivers that the junction and approaching junction signs are the wrong way round.
He said: "The driving conditions were good but it was dark and the road was unlit – which is fine, but means you are more reliant on the signs to be correct.
"I'm driving and the Sat Nav says you are going to turn left shortly into another road. I was expecting to turn in 300 yards, but then I saw the exit sign, immediately there. I began to turn before realising it was a locked entrance [to the rugby club]. I applied the brakes and moved back onto the road relatively safely.
"We're told not to trust the Sat Nav – and whilst the Sat Nav is telling you to turn in 300 yards, you are relying on the road sign to make sure you turn in the correct place."
He added: "I was fully aware of my driving, the conditions were good, and there were no other cars on the road. But if those had not been lined up then an accident would have happened with a slippery road and a car to crash into. It could have easily been worse."
Central Bedfordshire Council (CBC) thanked the motorist for raising the issue and said it will be correcting the signs within the next week.
The driver, who did not wish to be named, later searched for the road on Google Maps – and was surprised to see that the signs had been incorrectly placed since at least 2020.
He added: "They were talking [in the news] about the boys in Wales who came off the road and died. The enquiry said it was mainly because of the inadequate signage. It kills people. The ones in Leighton Buzzard wouldn't, probably, but it's a thing. It's important to get it right."
A CBC spokeswoman said: “We thank the motorist for bringing this to our attention. They are correct, the current placement is the wrong way round, and this is the first time we have been made aware of this, with no other reports of incidents related to this signage.
"We remain committed to ensuring road safety and appreciate the attention brought to this matter.
"We have arranged for the signs to be corrected as soon as practical and they will be updated in the next week."