‘I’ve never seen a duck here’: Councillor hits out at £7,000 duck warning sign

A councillor has hit out at a £7,000 road sign warning of ducks crossing the road after claiming he had never seen a duck in the area.

John Knott, who sits on Castle Point Borough Council in Essex, said there were no ponds and no water in the vicinity of the sign, which was attached to a lamp post on Daws Heath Road near Southend-on-Sea. He said residents had been left “incredulous” and branded the sign “ridiculous”.

A spokesperson for Essex Highways said the temporary sign had been erected as ducks cross the road frequently due to its proximity to a nature reserve.

Speaking to the BBC, Cllr Knott, who represents St Michael’s Ward, said: "I've lived here 25 years and I've never seen a duck cross the road, we've got no ponds, there's no water, it's ridiculous."

He went on to criticise the “huge” amount of money spent on what he described as a “wrong” sign, adding residents were treating it as a “running joke”.

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He added: "This is a huge amount of money for what is a wrong sign. Residents are amazed; it's become a running joke, and everyone says there are no ducks in Daws Heath. People are incredulous."

Essex Highways, which is responsible for roads in the area, said ensuring road users are “aware of potential hazards” and keeping surrounding wildlife safe is “an important part of our duty”.

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A spokesperson for Essex Highways said: "This temporary wildlife warning sign was installed due to ducks frequently crossing at this location as it is close to a nature reserve.

"Ensuring road users are aware of potential hazards is an important part of our duty to keep people safe, as well as the surrounding wildlife.

"Warning signs are only installed where there is a need based on safety surveys, resident reports and recommendations from highways officers."