Ludlow 'crusader' clears overgrown plants from road signs
A man who calls himself "Ed the litter crusader" has been clearing plants from road signs in his area after his stepson failed a driving test.He goes out with a hedge trimmer and a sponge to make signs more visible to motorists, adding: "Presumably they were put there for a reason."He had previously gone out to unblock drains around Ludlow in Shropshire, but took up his new campaign when his stepson was marked down for driving into a keep clear space which was "completely obliterated".Shropshire Council said he was "one of many highly valued local volunteers" and it thanked "him for his efforts".
Ed the litter crusader, who did not want to reveal his real name, said he found one sign "at about a 60 degree angle" because the legs had "rusted off" and another which was only just poking out from the top of a hedge.The council said its own street cleaning teams "work hard to maintain levels of cleanliness and grounds maintenance across the country, but local volunteers help to complement this work".The man said there was "nothing remotely dangerous" about the sites he chose, but the council asked volunteers "to only work within a 30 mile an hour limit where it is safe to do so".
Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
42 minutes ago
- BBC News
Road closures ahead for Corby station to town link
Motorists have been warned about overnight closures of a main route through a town work will take place between 19:00 and 06:00 BST between 16 June to 4 July on Elizabeth Street in Corby, Northamptonshire, North Northamptonshire Council said. It is part of a project designed to provide a safe and attractive route between the town centre and the railway stops along Elizabeth Road will be temporarily suspended and a taxi rank will stop operating during the closures. The previous Conservative government provided the money for the new link which will cover Elizabeth Street, Oakley Road and Station was part of a £19.9m package of underpass on Oakley Road will be removed as part of the project. North Northamptonshire Council said it hoped the new route would mean "more people will be encouraged to travel on foot and cycle between the town centre and station, which not only improves people's health and well-being levels but has a positive impact on the environment".A full diversion will be in place during the closures, and residents will also be able to use George Street between 18:00 and 08:00 BST. Access for residents and businesses "will be maintained wherever possible" although "vehicle access may be restricted during the overnight closures", the council information is available on the council's website. Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Telegraph
an hour ago
- Telegraph
5mph speed limits: another bonkers Labour idea to make drivers' lives hell
The war on motorists grows more bizarre every day. Wales, long ruled by Labour, remains the source of the most bonkers ideas. Earlier this year, Jane Hutt MS, the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, appeared to be floating the idea of a speed limit of 5mph being appropriate 'in some circumstances'. 🚨WELSH GOVERNMENT TO INTRODUCE 5MPH SPEED LIMITS?🚨 Welsh Government minister @JaneHutt appears to endorse cutting speed limits to as low as 5mph, before saying the 20mph policy, which cost taxpayers £32m, was "welcomed by the people of Wales". Out of touch. — DOGE Wales 🏴💰 (@SeneddWaste) May 20, 2025 That is roughly the speed of a horse-drawn carriage, so long as it was walking. A trotting horse would typically do double that speed, leaving Ms Hutt in the dust in her car, presumably before being promptly turned into glue for speeding, if the Senedd had its way. Perhaps we shouldn't be surprised. After all, this is the administration which famously withdrew support 'for all major road projects in Wales because of climate change', and pushed through the controversial 20mph blanket speed limit across all residential roads and busy pedestrian streets in 2023. Nearly two years since the imposition of the policy, Welsh drivers remain furious. And who can blame them? The speed limit is a stick with which to beat drivers into swapping their cars for bicycles and public transport. 'To suck every bit of joy out of driving and make life miserable for drivers,' as a friend once put it. He's picked up nine points, all for driving around 24 or 25 miles per hour, after struggling to rein in a life-long habit of driving at a slightly more reasonable and efficient pace. 'I spend the whole time looking at the speedometer,' another told me. 'The journey to work takes about 20 minutes longer, so I burn fuel for longer and pay more for it'. With a minimum fine of £100 and three penalty points for going over the limit and prosecutions starting at 26mph, the costs to motorists are considerable. The risk of loss of licence and even livelihoods for some is a real danger. There are also more cars on the road for longer, resulting in increased stop-and-go traffic, with frequent braking and accelerating also contributing towards greater fuel consumption and associated costs. Then there's the wider costs. The Welsh government's own research reportedly found that the 20mph policy could potentially cost the economy £4.5bn, though spread over 30 years. This analysis was signed off by the minister for climate change in January 2023 as 'a fair and reasonable view of the expected impact' of the policy, but – in line with the eco evangelism proudly adopted by her government – that she was 'satisfied that the benefits justify the likely costs'. But it's not only in Wales that drivers are being driven out of town. This side of the border motorists are being caught out by 'low traffic neighbourhoods' which not only imposed steep fines when the often imperceptible borders are innocently breached, but have been blamed for increasing pollution on major roads where poorer residents typically live. One scheme set up by Lambeth council in south London was deemed unlawful by the High Court after it ruled the authority had failed to properly listen to residents' concerns. Cash-strapped councils are raising ever-growing sums from parking permits and fines. Across Britain, local authorities have raised £360m from residential parking permits over the last five years, according to Cinch, the online car dealer. Top of the list was Wandsworth Borough Council, which collected £38m from residential permits between 2020 and 2024 alone. And that's before you add in fines from mistakes like driving in bus 'gates' and lanes as well as car parking charges. Back to Wales and its obsession with slow driving. Sense has prevailed in Wrexham at least, with some roads already returning to a 30mph limit. We must not let the age-old argument of safety hold back progress. An infamous New York Times article from 1928 raised concerns around 'horseless carriages' being driven without the added intelligence of a second creature. The answer was to improve safety, not to place restrictions that would make them less efficient than the horse-drawn carriages they were destined to replace. The same is true today, with technology gradually making cars safer. That's not to mention the improved air quality the advent of electric cars – over which I have other concerns, perhaps best discussed in another piece – will usher in at least in this country. As ever, families and businesses are left to pick up the price of government interference, through higher running costs and missed opportunities caused by delays, and in some cases, even the loss of livelihood.
Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
Uber's UK driverless taxi trial has Brits all saying the same thing
Futuristic robotaxis could soon be driving on UK roads, as Uber confirms its latest trial. However, the news has sparked debate online - with many brits sharing the same concern Uber has revealed futuristic plans to bring driverless taxis to the UK, but Brits have pointed out one big problem. Fully autonomous robotaxis — self-driving cars with no human safety net — could be deployed on London 's roads in the spring of 2026, the taxi firm has announced. The ambitious project is being conducted in partnership with Wayve, a UK-based artificial intelligence company that has been developing and testing driverless vehicle technology on the capital's streets under human supervision — as current regulations require. CEO and co-founder of Wayve, Alex Kendall, said: "The UK has been Wayve's home since 2017 — building this technology here has been an incredible journey, from testing our first prototype in Cambridge to deploying the world 's first end-to-end AI driver on public roads, starting in London and expanding nationwide. "Accelerating commercial self-driving pilots to 2026 positions the UK as a leading destination for the deployment of L4 self-driving technology. These early pilots will help build public trust and unlock new jobs, services, and markets. For Wayve, this means we can prioritise the UK for early deployment and help deliver safer, cleaner mobility to the UK. We're excited to bring the benefits of L4 autonomous mobility to cities around the UK." Changes in policy regarding driverless vehicles were revealed in the build-up to Uber's announcement — the government initially aimed to introduce autonomous cars onto British roads by 2026. However, this timeline was later pushed back to the latter half of 2027. Despite this, the government put forward an accelerated regulatory framework to allow smaller-scale autonomous commercial services, such as buses and taxis, to operate sooner, with the aim of fostering innovation and positioning Britain as a global leader in autonomous transport technology. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander emphasised the significance of this development, stating: "The future of transport is arriving. "Self-driving cars could bring jobs, investment, and the opportunity for the UK to be among the world leaders in new technology. With road safety at the heart of our pilots and legislation, we continue to take bold steps to create jobs, back British industry, and drive innovation to deliver our Plan for Change." While Uber is yet to confirm whether the robotaxis in the London trial will be available for public use, the company has stated it intends to integrate these vehicles into its UK app as a regular option as soon as legislation permits. The details of the trial, including the number of vehicles and operational specifics, are still being finalised. Uber and Wayve are working closely with regulators to ensure the vehicles meet safety and operational standards before they hit the streets without a human driver. Uber's London trial follows similar initiatives worldwide — Uber launched a robotaxi service in Austin, Texas in March 2025, and claiming its driverless vehicles there could work 20 hours a day, seven days a week — customers have the choice between a regular taxi or robotaxi, if there's one available, with no difference in fare. According to the Department for Transport, the industry could create approximately 38,000 jobs and contribute £42 billion to the UK economy by 2035. However, the introduction of driverless taxis raises social concerns, particularly regarding employment. GMB national secretary Andy Prendergast, emphasised the need to consider the 'significant social implications' of autonomous vehicles, including potential job losses for professional drivers. While members of the Great British public all seem to be saying the same thing about robotaxis on social media. One person wrote: "Not only would I not get in one, I wouldn't want to drive on the same road as one." A second posted: "No. No bloody way. For starters. How will they avoid the potholes? I'm sure London must have some even if it far less than the rest of us." Another agreed: "I wouldn't trust them but also wouldn't use them because it's taking people's jobs away!" While a fourth chimed in: "It's hard enough to trust an ordinary taxi." Although clearly in the minority, at least online, not everyone is so lacking in trust. One commenter said: "Yes, I can't wait to get a driverless car when you don't need a driving licence." While someone else added: "Arrogant human drivers are the biggest danger." Uber's upcoming robotaxi trial in London represents a major step toward integrating autonomous vehicles into everyday urban transport, with the potential to reshape the future of mobility in the UK and beyond — but it remains to see whether Brits will trust the tech enough to use it.
