INADEQUATE signing is a source of huge frustration. Pedestrians unable to locate public lavatories and motorists abandoned as they close in on their destination rightly rage at local authorities.

But officials, in their desire to avoid leaving residents and visitors in the lurch, can go too far the other way.

On a brief tour of Nottingham City Centre in the company of an Evening Post reporter, the chairman of the Nottingham Civic Society Tom Huggon identified a range of unnecessary signs, inconsistent signals, and unwanted poles and barriers.

His observations come as Government launches the biggest review of traffic signs in Britain for 40 years. While the Post would not support a minimalist approach to signing, it is clear that the city must remove some street furniture to deliver clarity and safety for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers.