A HOST of large new signs are a blot on an attractive landscape, claim the angry residents of a Huddersfield village.

The people of Stocksmoor are also none too happy about becoming part of the “Republic of South Yorkshire.”

They have now started a petition and enlisted the help of their local MP, Simon Reevell, and councillor Robert Barraclough, who have both taken the matter up with Kirklees Council.

Numerous large blue signs began appearing in Stocksmoor and Shepley at the beginning of July. They are way markers for the Trans Pennine Trail, a route for cyclists, walkers and horse riders which runs from Southport to Hornsea.

East Peak Innovation Partnership (EPIP) paid for them and, according to Clr Barraclough, TPT and Barnsley Council installed them after getting initial permission from Kirklees, but before a safety audit had been carried out or routes had been agreed.

In a letter to Mr Reevell, resident Joan Oversby, who is organising the petition, wrote: “The residents of Stocksmoor were alarmed to wake up to find that inappropriately large, badly designed and totally incongruous signs had been erected all over the village.

“No-one has been consulted about the erection of these signs

Mrs Oversby said that the signs had no planning permission, while the Village Association had to pay £191 in planning fees to Kirklees Council before it could erect a small, tasteful signpost to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

She added: “These are more like motorway signs than village signs and spoil the look of the village. They just added clutter to an outstandingly lovely village.

“We have spent the past year planting trees on the grass verges and filling flowering planters to beautify our village, only to find that it has been spoiled by the erection of these signs at practically every road junction.

“We are not part of the Republic of South Yorkshire yet.”

Resident Barbara Lightowler said: “Blue signs are appearing that are crowding our streets and footpaths, some with not a lot of relevance to our immediate area. There are just too many of them and they seem to have been erected without due consultation.”

The destination for many of the signs is a place called Millhouse, nine miles away at Penistone, which has no connection with Stocksmoor or Shepley.

As no distances are given on some signposts, residents are also worried that children could set off on their cycles and not realise how far away it is.

A letter from the TPT, which is based in Barnsley Council’s offices, states: “The extension to the TPT through the Kirklees area has many anticipated benefits for the local and wider community, including promoting health and fitness as well as providing a sustainable transport system.

“Both Kirklees Council and Barnsley council fully supported the scheme and are aware of the proposals. The signs were designed to the minimum allowable within the standards.”

A Kirklees spokesman said: “The signs were designed by a principal engineer of Barnsley Council, and those to be sited within the Kirklees boundary were then audited by Kirklees Highways engineers and changes were made to the sign face and locations.

“The signs are in line with Department for Transport recommendations and Barnsley and Kirklees Councils have statutory powers to site direction signs within the boundary of the public roads without public consultation.

“Local councillors were informed of the proposals.”