A council have removed dozens of Union Flags labelled a ‘safety risk’ in Chippenham – more than eleven weeks after their installation.
Workers were spotted ripping down the flags – put up in early September – from lampposts in Hungerdown Lane this morning (Tuesday).
About 80 Union Flags were installed by a local resident in protest, after the council took down the initial ten he added to lampposts.
Cllr Martin Smith, the Cabinet Member for Highways and Street Scene at Wiltshire Council, said the flags may pose a risk to road users.
Despite this, it’s taken more than eleven weeks for them to be removed.
Cllr Smith added: “As a council, we have a duty to ensure that public roads remain safe and unobstructed. They may also detract from the overall tidiness of the area.
“It is our duty to ensure that public roads remain safe and accessible, and we will take action to remove any unauthorised obstructions or encroachments.
“However, due to the number of flags placed in several locations across the county, priority is given to locations where there is a heightened safety implication.
“It will take some time to remove all unauthorised items, but we are working through this as quickly as possible.”
