A British council has blamed wet weather for having to remove flags hoisted on its patch. Oxfordshire County Council insisted that it takes pride in residents flying the Union Flag and St. George’s flags on their own property, but emphasised road safety risks when talking about unauthorised hangings in central Oxford.
The flags were spotted from Folly Bridge, on St. Aldates and past the police station to Speedwell Street, near Oxford Crown Court. They were also seen around the corner and behind Oxford Westgate shopping centre. The local authority suggested placing flags or painting them on or near highways can “create serious safety hazards”. A spokesperson for the council added that as the weather is darker, windier and wetter those risks are higher, and it is therefore increasing the removal of flags. They also confirmed that teams have been taking them down as part of routine maintenance work.
Flags can reduce visibility for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians, and increase the risk of distraction, the council told GB News.
They added: “In addition, installing flags on street furniture or near roads can lead to personal injury or property damage. For these reasons, we strongly advise people against doing so.”
The spokesperson also said: “With the current darker, windier and wetter weather, these risks are increasing. We are therefore stepping up the removal of flags and other unauthorised items.
“Each case will be assessed based on the level of risk, with priority given to those that pose an immediate risk.”
Officials’ priority is to keep local roads and public spaces safe, the county council emphasised.
The flags were hoisted in Oxford (Image: Getty)
It comes after a painter and decorator sustained fatal head injuries when he fell from a ladder while tying a Union Flag to a lamppost.
Paul John Lumber, 61, had gone out near his home in Duckmoor Road in Bristol, to erect flags on lampposts after attending a football match, an inquest heard.
Avon Coroner’s Court was told how neighbours heard a loud bang before discovering Mr Lumber on the ground, with his ladder nearby, on the evening of November 22 last year.
