Harrow Highways sign fiasco

Mr Mustard had to go to Christchurch Avenue to look at a route restricted to "buses and cycles only" where a client had transgressed by driving past the blue signs that you can see below. This location is just along the road from the Harrow Leisure Centre.

Whilst standing there studying the signs with Bald Eagle of NoToMob fame Mr Mustard realised that every bus driver on the H9 route is, whilst following the route set by London Sovereign buses and which doubtless has to be agreed with the council and the police, driving straight past a "No Motor Vehicles" sign (the access is for local residents just past the bus stop, you can see their cars behind the bus stop). A bus is, of course, a "motor vehicle".

Luckily for bus drivers everywhere the No Motor Vehicles sign is not enforced. If it were the fiasco would have been spotted sooner. Isn't it amazing though that there have been hundreds of contraventions at this location and no motorist, nor the council itself, appears to have spotted the anomaly.

How can Harrow Council penalise any driver for contravening a "No Motor Vehicles" sign somewhere else in the borough when the Highways Department have in place such a sign at this location which clearly does not apply. Mr Mustard wonders if they used to be there on their own before the blue signs were erected?

Furthermore, cars can't drive more than a few yards past the Controlled Parking Zone sign and buses are not likely to stop on a single yellow to park, so they are also superfluous. The CPZ sign coming towards you is necessary (you can't see it but it is visible as you exit the roundabout) as taxis are allowed to exit the roundabout but not to enter it for a reason which is beyond Mr Mustard.

The whole buses & cycles only restriction looks to be completely irrelevant as the natural route is via Masons Avenue (although the Tchibo coffee delivery van man's satnav took him down Christchurch Ave. He had a lucky escape as Mr Mustard flagged him down and he was grateful). Mr Mustard and Bald Eagle must have been there for 30 minutes or so and that van was the only vehicle which tried to get it wrong.

Photographs of other impossible sign combinations are always welcome at this email address.

Yours frugally

Mr Mustard