A local authority that claims repeated requests for 'slow down' signs on a busy stretch of road have been ignored has taken matters into its own hands.

Maughold Commissioners are refusing to remove this sign (pictured) from the top of a Department of Infrastructure pole at Glen Mona.

In an email to the DOI, the commissioners state: 'The general message from government is that local authorities should take on more responsibility for their communities - that is precisely what we are doing. Several years ago (and countrary to the initiative to local government reform that was promised) the Department took back the signs into central government's hands.

'Unfortunately, in the intervening time, we have now had a period of several years where the Department has failed to erect the signs in our community at any time.'

The email to Matthew Bawden at the DOI is in response to correspondence from Mr Bawden to the commissioners, where he states: 'The speed reinforcement signs need to be part of an island wide strategy rather than stand alone as the effectiveness of a single sign is not only diminished but it also impacts negatively on a wider scale as people tend to then become used to seeing a sign in one particular location.

'In addition, prior to any signs that are not Highway signs must require a license from the Department of Infrastructure if they are to be placed at or on the highways.'

In their response, the commissioners say: 'Based on practical experience, the Commissioners cannot recommend to our community that they rely on the Department for effective implementation and management of the Speed Signs. The only answer is to take these matters into local control.

'In the interests of our community we will not remove the signs. Our community has provided our licence.'

The commissioners go on to claim that the only time the DOI installed signs was under duress. SID signs were placed at Glen Mona during this year's TT. The commissioners continue: 'To be fair to the Department they did (after an e-mail reminder from the Commissioners) remember to install the signs a few days into TT. However, once the batteries died a few days later they were left inoperative.

'The signs were left to hang un-lit for three months until in desperation we contacted you to ask that they were removed. Clearly, no Departmental monitoring of their functionality was in operation. The Commissioners have no alternative but to conclude that the Department is ineffective and unable to meet the needs and expectations of the community in these matters.'

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