There's no two ways about it . . that's one sign too many

IT'S enough to drive any motorist round the bend.

Drivers entering a street in Sighthill are confronted with two competing speed limits after a 20mph sign was put up beside a massive 30mph order painted on the road.

Critics say the conflict poses a danger for pedestrians and drivers and have called for the situation to be cleared up. Both limits are statutory and not the "Twenty's Plenty" guideline sign often found outside schools.

And while the council admitted the signs in Sighthill Avenue are close, they added both were strictly legal because the 20 limit is slightly closer to Murrayburn Primary school.

Calder Road resident John Graham, 19, said the signs were a hot topic locally and that nobody could work out exactly what speed limit they were supposed to adhere to when driving there.

He said: "There's a big sign that alerts you to the fact you are entering a 20mph zone, then you are met by a whole load of messages saying in fact you can still go 30mph.

"They were put in around New Year I think, and everyone thought maybe they were going to take down the 30 signs and paint over them, but it doesn't seem to have happened at all."

Mr Graham, a petrol station worker who also serves with the Territorial Army, added: "All around here it's a bit confusing because when you drive up to Wester Hailes from Sighthill it's not really clear whether you are supposed to be going 30 or 40."

Conservative councillor Alastair Paisley, whose Pentlands ward is just beside Sighthill Avenue, said the signs was "infuriating" for motorists.

"Perhaps this is symptomatic of the Lib Dem/SNP administration's stop-start policy.

"There are roads in the city when one minute you're at 40, then 20, then 30 and up to 60. It's quite unnecessary.

"And then when you ask for street signs for specific reasons it becomes harder. I've been calling for a horses warning sign near Blinkbonny but was told it would create too much street clutter, meanwhile in Baberton Crescent seven Twenty's Plenty signs were put up."

The transport spokesman for the city's Labour group, Councillor Ricky Henderson, added: "My old ward used to cover Sighthill Avenue and we worked hard with the local residents to introduce street calming measures. This will cause a lot of confusion, if we want motorists to abide by these regulations then we have to be clear about them."

A spokeswoman for the council explained that the proximity to the school made it legitimate for a statutory 20mph sign to be in place.

She said: "A team have been out and while the signs are close together they are both technically correct."