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Residents give new street signs mixed reviews

Holly Nicholsin Hemel Hempstead
News imageLouise Lee A pile of old street signs, including one for “Redbourn Road,” is stacked against a green skip at a construction site, surrounded by wooden posts, fencing and roadwork materials.Louise Lee
Hemel Hempstead resident Louise Lee came across the old street signs in a skip

Plans to install over 100 new street signs in a town have received mixed reviews from residents, with some labelling the replacements as "cheap".

Dacorum Borough Council said it was putting them up in the Maylands area of Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, as part of a project to improve navigation.

"They just look really cheap. I don't see the point of changing them over really, the old ones look much better," said resident Paula Bridges.

The council said its Maylands Wayfinding Project, which includes the 122 new street signs, was in response to feedback from local businesses about inconsistent signage, confusing routes, and a lack of clear identity.

News imageHolly Nichols/BBC A modern street sign reading “SHENLEY ROAD” sits in front of a dense ivy-covered hedge. The sign has a white panel on a bright yellow frame, with branches and leaves partially covering the left side.Holly Nichols/BBC
Dacorum Borough Council is installing 122 new street name signs near Maylands Business Centre

Bridges said she thought the scheme was "a complete waste of money", adding: "They [the council] could be spending [money] on so many better things than replacing road signs that weren't broken in the first place."

Louise Lee came across the old, discarded street signs in a skip near her gym.

She described the new designs as "shocking".

News imageHolly Nichols/BBC Craig Hurrell wearing a white and red baseball jersey and matching cap. He stands beside a roadside sign, with a parked car, trees, and houses visible in the background. It is a sunny day.Holly Nichols/BBC
Hemel Hempstead resident Craig Hurrell preferred the new signs

But fellow resident Craig Hurrell said he thought they were "cleaner" and stood out because of the yellow colouring.

Andrew Williams, the Conservative group leader on Dacorum Borough Council, said he had not realised the plans for these street signs would stretch into residential areas which "had perfectly adequate signage before".

"The design does look a little on the cheap side, and not as robust as I hoped it would be", he added.

The council project also includes the installation of six posts with fingers pointing in different directions and two illuminated gateways at the A414/Maylands Avenue roundabout.

Adrian England, a councillor who is the portfolio holder for place, said: "Maylands is an important part of Hemel Hempstead and Dacorum."

He added that the "new wayfinding features will make Maylands easier to navigate, create a stronger identity for the business park, and support local businesses by improving the experience for employees and visitors".

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