The Countryside Clutter Challenge

CPRE Herefordshire offer you an opportunity to tell us what you think about 'countryside clutter'. This on-line survey shouldn't take you more than a couple of minutes - click the send button and add your examples and comments to our forthcoming report.

What is clutter? Road signs, over zealous use of painted lines and colours on roads and lanes and street furniture. County Branches throughout England have noticed that allowing this sort of clutter to creep into the countryside urbanises the rural environment and is often counter-productive. For example, too many road signs only confuse and distract drivers perhaps resulting in accidents. New signs are often erected but old ones are not removed.

Temporary or private signs on lanes and roads are sometimes badly sited, often left in situ even when no longer required or are dislodged by vehicles or weather. Some village traffic calming schemes result in a kaleidoscope of red,white and yellow in geometric patterns which can conflict with the character and vernacular architecture of the buildings and often spoil the essence of a rural English village. No one doubts that traffic calming and control measures are sometimes necessary but they should be discrete.

Countryside Clutter is particularly a problem for areas designated for their rural beauty, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Herefordshire has two ANOB's partly within its borders, the Malvern Hills and the Wye Valley and both are concerned about this issue for their areas.

A recent CPRE briefing document says "the volume and speed of traffic on rural roads and through villages is a major threat to the tranquillity and character of the countryside. Highway Authorities have a key role to play in managing traffic. In undertaking this task, however, it is important that countryside character is respected. Removing existing sources of clutter and ensuring all new proposals are better designed to complement their surroundings is a priority."

For more information about the national Clutter Challenge and CPRE's Transport campaigns: www.cpre.org.uk/campaigns/transport

What is the Clutter Challenge?

It is to challenge the Highway Authority to commit to:

• The development of a policy in the Local Transport Plan to protect and enhance countryside character, coupled with a bid for additional funding in the LTP to implement it
• To work with landscape professionals, interested groups and the wider public to develop a traffic management manual and design guide
• To undertake a Clutter Audit across the Authority's area
• To undertake a clutter free pilot scheme to manage traffic in the countryside during the first 2 years of the LTP

What can you do?

Fill in our survey form. Spread the word about our survey to your friends and neighbours in Herefordshire. Printed forms should be sent to the address below.

Please tell us about examples of 'clutter' that you know about (e.g. 10 road signs along a 200m length of road, or over use of white lines and/or red tarmac or obsolete road signs not removed).

Please give the road number and location (e.g. B1234 between junction with A44 and B1235) and/or 6 figure grid reference for the location of your example. Please indicate if in an AONB.

If you have or would like to supply pictures of your example(s) we would like to receive them. You can either email them to cpre@herefordshire.kc3.co.uk (please make the files as small as possible and in .jpg format if possible) or send prints to: Mr P Louis, 27 Elgar Avenue, Hereford, HR1 1TY.

Please give you name and address if you would like to receive a copy of the CPRE Report of this survey. If you can receive an electronic copy of the Report please give your email address. The Report will be available on our website in a downloadable format.

  Please get your responses to us before the end of February.