Vandal damages Bognor Regis signs

A vandal attacked a thousand pounds' worth of new parking signs in Bognor Regis.

The paint sprayer struck within a few hours of the notices being installed along Spencer Street in the town centre.

It was the second time the signs, which detail the road’s parking restrictions, had been covered with black paint to make them illegible and wipe out the restrictions.

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Bognor Regis East county councillor Francis Oppler (Lib Dem) said he was incensed by the act.

“What’s happened is appalling,” he said.

“Someone is blatantly sticking two fingers up at the county council and the residents who want the restrictions to enable them to park near their homes.

“No-one likes to be told they have to have their parking restricted but it is a fact of life nowadays. The restrictions are there for a reason.

“Without them, the road becomes a free-for-all for parking all day and the residents can’t get close to their homes. I’m determined those behind these actions will not get away with them.”

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The vandalism wrecked 13 of the 15 signs along Spencer Street.

The original signs were painted over about 14 months ago.

The new signs were installed late last Tuesday morning. He was told the next day they had been damaged.

A county council spokesman said: “Naturally we are very disappointed with what has happened. We have taken photos of the criminal damage and reported the matter to police.

“We are investigating with our contractor to find out whether the new sign faces were treated with special ‘anti-graffiti film’ before they were installed.

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“However, it is very difficult to manufacture signs that are totally vandal proof.

“While protective overlay films can be applied to make removal of graffiti easier, these are not 100 per cent effective and can still be damaged by sharp instruments or particularly aggressive solvents.”