Council chiefs have launched a stinging attack on a pensioner who spread road markings on the approach to a ‘dangerous’ junction – and said he put himself and other road users at the chance.
Peter Sharratt, 71, sprayed arrows indicating the lanes that motorists needed to be in near the junction of the A50 and A5033 in Knutsford, Cheshire.
Sharratt wrote to Cheshire East Council with his concerns after witnessing “several near crashes” due to the lack of road markings.
But after being given what he called an “unhelpful response”, Sharratt armed himself with spray cans of white paint and set out to fix the road himself at 4.30 am on Sunday.
He sprays painted the instructions for motorists, which he’s dubbed “mark out to help out”, and used his car to block off the road as he worked.
However, his actions have been branded ‘unwise’, with the council saying he would have been to blame for any accidents while marking the roads.
The retired journalist said: “I thought it was hazardous.
“I regularly drive on this road, and people are perplexed about which lane they should be in.
“I had witnessed several near crashes on the roundabout by people not knowing which lane they should be in. “I wrote to the council about this only to receive a perfunctory and unhelpful response.
“They didn’t say they could do anything any time soon.”
Sharratt said the original markings “were there for an excellent reason”, and the work to replace them should be “at the summit” of the council’s priority list.
He added: “It beggars belief that the council is now relying on a 71-year-old pensioner with a spray can to do the work we already pay them for.”
A spokesperson for the board said it was planning to carry out the work, but lack of money had delayed progress: “Mr Sharratt may feel that his actions in spray painting his road markings were well motivated. However, this dangerous action placed himself and other road users at risk.
Peter Sharratt wanted to shame Cheshire East Council over the markings close to a ‘confusing’ roundabout in upmarket Knutsford, which he claims have become a death trap.
Armed with a can of white paint, the 71-year-old ventured out at dawn to finish the job himself.
He sprayed arrows indicating the lanes motorists need to be in to travel onto two different roads near the junction of the A50 and A5033.
A campaigner fed up with waiting for a local council to deal with a “lethal death trap” of a roundabout has sprayed his road markings.
Peter Sharratt, 71, says a lack of markings near a notorious junction has caused motorists to regularly come close to colliding with other vehicles.
They were removed months ago when roadworks were completed close to the confusing junction near the intersection of the A50 and A5033 in Knutsford, Cheshire, and not replaced.
After witnessing several close calls, he took matters into his own hands and went out at dawn to spray arrows indicating the lanes motorists needed to be in.
“I regularly drive on this road, and people are perplexed about which lane they should be in.
“I had witnessed several near crashes on the roundabout by people not knowing which lane they should be in.
“I wrote to the council about this only to receive a perfunctory and unhelpful response.
“They didn’t say they could do anything any time soon.”
Peter headed out in a high-vis jacket at around 4.30 am on Sunday, June 4, and armed himself with spray cans of white paint to fix the road.
For safety, he blocked the road with his car while he got to work in an act he dubbed “mark out to help out”.
Peter said contractors dug up the road for electrical work a few months ago, but the roundabout was never returned to its previous condition.
He also said he has contacted Cheshire East Council about the roundabout but was given an ‘unhelpful response.’
Peter added: “These markings were there for an excellent reason. These signs urgently need doing.
“This work should be put at the top of their priority list. It beggars believe the council relies on a 71-year-old pensioner with a spray can to do the work we already pay them for. “When the council sanctioned contractors to dig up the road for electrical work on the bypass many months ago, they should have ensured it was put back into its previous condition.”
Fellow local Jim Burgess highlighted the dangers posed by the lack of markings in a letter to the local newspaper.
He said some drivers need to realise the left lane at the roundabout is for turning left while the right road is for going straight and turning right.
