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Street Signs in Stroud Green
Here’s something that I’ve been ruminating on for a while. In common with all too many places, Stroud Green is plagued by the following phenomenon: Despite the fact that it is well served* by attractive and well crafted metal signage from – I believe – the Victorian era, most of this signage has been supplemented (rather than replaced) by cheap, stained and ugly plastic signage for no good reason that I can ascertain. The metal signs have been left to rust and decay, with the exception of a few which have been lovingly maintained by – one assumes – the homeowners of the buildings to which they are attached.
I have been contemplating trying to set up a voluntary campaign to restore the original signage prior to campaigning to get rid of the nasty ‘new’ signs where possible. In most cases it would only take a couple of hours work with a wire brush and some black and white metal paints. Or at least I guess so; I won’t pretend to have done it. Any thoughts on this? Am I on to a loser? I might be the only person who cares.
A
*Not as well served as in many countries of course, where they have road signs on every street at every junction. Holland is particularly good as I recall.
Comments
Thinking about it, isn't there already a movement underway to declutter the streets? And already there's been some evidence of it at work in the area, ie, the removal of the phallic traffic island on Tollington Park. So the time is right.
It's pay per view - start saving!
2) I'm very excited about being called 'the legendary Councillor Wilson'
I'm guessing the Council doesn't maintain many of these old signs because they are on private property and difficult to access (so its probably just easier to stick up the less attractive newer signs). But I've emailed the 'streetscene' officers at Haringey to find out what the official explanation is.
I've also emailed the Hornsey Historical Society to see if they have had any experience of trying to get these signs renovated.
One thought, though, on why the council may prefer the 'new', characterless signs: they carry the postcode of the road in question, whereas the old ones pre-date the modern postcode system. In my street, for example, we get 'Marquis Road N4' at the corner of Stroud Green Road but just 'Marquis Road N' on a private building at the corner of Victoria Road.
Could this be a problem for posties? Don't think so -- they mostly know their walks, at least according to the Communication Workers' Union.
What about visitors from outside the immediate area? If they know which postcode they're travelling into, they'll also know that when they get here 'N' equates to 'N4'. Seempelz! Squeak!
I can see the Daily Telegraph/Guardian articles now as all our troubles begin to subside thanks to a top-down scheme for dismantling local infrastructure. Presumably house numbers will be the next target for SG's crack team. Aesthetic matters aside do you pay council tax? If so will you ask for a discount or send the council an invoice.?
No, I'll do it out of civic pride and in the spirit of joining in to make things a teeny bit nicer for everyone. In the same way that I occasionally pick up other people's rubbish.
(1) used condoms
(2) discarded syringes, and
(3) human turds.
http://www.haringey.gov.uk/index/environment_and_transport/roadsandstreets/road_maintenance2/streetscape.htm
My computer wont let me read the manual for some bizarre reason, but I think this confirms that they don't attempt to repair or maintain old street signs because they don't meet their new standard. I've now put in a query to the Council's conservation officers to see whether they think the old original signs have merit and should be protected.
Either way - none of this stops some 'big society' action from residents themselves....
Richard
Then shimmy I shall! did you get the piggy bank?
No luncheon vouchers?