Regis banned from signs in Bognor?

Speaking at a heated meeting of the town council on Tuesday, Cllr Paul

Wells vowed to take his concerns to Buckingham Palace.

He was joined by fellow councillors in condemning the county's opposition to its replacement boundary signs at Butlins, Shripney Road and a new sign at Chichester Road on the grounds they allegedly did not comply with Department of Transport planning policy.

The county also argued the town's crest should not be displayed prominently as this was deemed to be inappropriately 'trumpeting the town's civic pride', according to highways planning officers.

An angry Mr Wells said: "Our suffix of Regis goes back to 1929 and after being told we couldn't have it on signs, it now has to be in small letters.

"I can't see why this is the case '“ we should be proud of our name. I can understand there have to be highways rules but this is surely bureaucracy gone mad.

"I shall be writing to the Queen for her support on this," said the councillor, who felt this was just one of many instances in which the council's proposals had been ignored.

Cllr Greg Burt, who initiated the designs for the new town signage, added: "The county appear to have capitulated on the issue of Regis, but they are now saying we can only have our crest on the top right-hand corner of the signs.

"We've been quite upset about this as we were pleased with the sign designs we had produced.

"Why should we not be able to have Regis in our signs, especially when you see other towns such as Worthing with big green town-entrance signs saying 'a place for business and leisure' which surely can't comply with highways policy?"

A West Sussex County Council spokesman responded the issue was still under negotiation.

He said: "We are still in discussions over the signs. One of the issues is they have to comply with Department of Transport regulations.

"For example, if they did not meet these nationally-approved regulations, and someone crashed into the sign, it could be held it is an illegal obstruction.

"We do hope to work with the town council to produce signs Bognor Regis

residents can be proud of."

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