Fairtrade Signs
Our village (Dunscore) became the 1st fairtrade village in Dumfries and galloway in february this year. The council gave us £600 towards signs to be placed under the `Welcome to Dunscore` road sign and were happy with our design but said they had to check with the Scottish Office. The SO have refused, saying that it is not a traffic sign (we already have a twinning sign on one of the posts), Has anybody else had this response? Is this a new policy? What next?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Stuart Smith on -
If all the signs are on a main trunk road then I could understand Transport Scotland having a say. If they're not, then it's a local authority matter. Have you raised this with your ward councillor or MSP yet?
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Permalink Reply by Alison Boyes on -
Hello Stuart,
the signs would be subplates to an existing sign which is on an unclassified road at the entrance to our village. Another sign already has a subplate with a Twinning sign. The council Fairtrade Champion offered to take up the issue a week ago but I have heard nothing so far. I think the MSP should now be made aware of the situation,
Stuart Smith said:If all the signs are on a main trunk road then I could understand Transport Scotland having a say. If they're not, then it's a local authority matter. Have you raised this with your ward councillor or MSP yet?
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Permalink Reply by Stuart Smith on
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If you wanted, I could contact Jim Hume MSP for South Scotland, who is a friend of mine, who has contacts on D&G Council to make him aware of this issue. If you wanted to email me at (stu@stuartsmith.me.uk) with your contact details I can pass them on.
Alison Boyes said:Hello Stuart,
the signs would be subplates to an existing sign which is on an unclassified road at the entrance to our village. Another sign already has a subplate with a Twinning sign. The council Fairtrade Champion offered to take up the issue a week ago but I have heard nothing so far. I think the MSP should now be made aware of the situation,
Stuart Smith said:If all the signs are on a main trunk road then I could understand Transport Scotland having a say. If they're not, then it's a local authority matter. Have you raised this with your ward councillor or MSP yet?
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Permalink Reply by Bruce Crowther on -
Hi Alison,
I'm sorry to hear that in Dunscore, which should be very proud of its well worthy status as the first Fairtrade Village in Dumfries and Galloway. I still remember meeting the wonderful children there from the Primary School and showing them my son's clay animation about life in New Koforidua, Ghana.
I am looking fowrad to coming back to your area later this month and would be happy to talk more about the problem with signs if it is not resolved by then.
Good luck!
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Permalink Reply by Alison Boyes on
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Hello Bruce! Im glad you have such happy and positive memories of our village! I look forward to meeting you on the 31st and we can discuss this further. Alison
Bruce Crowther said:Hi Alison,
I'm sorry to hear that in Dunscore, which should be very proud of its well worthy status as the first Fairtrade Village in Dumfries and Galloway. I still remember meeting the wonderful children there from the Primary School and showing them my son's clay animation about life in New Koforidua, Ghana.
I am looking fowrad to coming back to your area later this month and would be happy to talk more about the problem with signs if it is not resolved by then.
Good luck!
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Permalink Reply by Alison Boyes on
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I'm writing to update everyone about our Fairtrade village signs (or lack of them/ our MSP. Alex Fergusson, wrote to Stuart Stevenson, Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change, aout the issue. He replied that a Fairtrade village sign could not be permitted in Dunscore because it is not a traffic sign. It seems now that our only option is to go to the national press so watch this space. His reply means that all Fairtrade signs are ILLEGAL.
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Permalink Reply by Stuart Smith on
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I believe the SNP Minister, Mr Stevenson, is wrong about this. There are different types of signs that are allowed to be put up.
Yes, you should take it up through the local press.
Alison Boyes said:I'm writing to update everyone about our Fairtrade village signs (or lack of them/ our MSP. Alex Fergusson, wrote to Stuart Stevenson, Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change, aout the issue. He replied that a Fairtrade village sign could not be permitted in Dunscore because it is not a traffic sign. It seems now that our only option is to go to the national press so watch this space. His reply means that all Fairtrade signs are ILLEGAL.
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Permalink Reply by Alison Boyes on
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Hello Stuart and thanks for your reply. The letter from Stewart Stevenson says`any Fairtrade signs you may have noticed in other locations have been erected illegally and are contrary to the whole principle of UK and international road signage as specified in the Vienna CONVENTION ON road Signs and Signals of 1968.`
In his reply to our MSP he says `most towns, villages and other settlements in Scotland will also meet the Fair Trade (sic) criteria so this cannot be described as a distinctive local message for the purposes of road signage`.
The local press have already been involved but we are considering contacting the Nationals. However, we are waiting for the Scottish Fair Trade Forum to speak to other ministers before we do this.
Alison
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