Comically over-signed destinations

[rhyds]

Leading on from the Doncaster/Sheffield/Dublin East airport thread, I was reminded about how massively over-signed Cardiff Airport seems to be given its relative lack of size.

Heading east on the M4 you pass mind boggling array of signs including

This one just after the M4 starts at J49 and after passing an RCS for Cardiff

This wonderful blue bordered example at J42

This old blue border sign near J37 that's now gone

And that's not even all of them. I'd wager there's a Cardiff Airport sign about every 10-15 miles from Pont Abraham to J33. I can't help but think that these signs, plus the new "For the Senedd follow Cardiff Bay" signs at J33 (Possibly the only signs to a Legislature on the motorway network?) that the Welsh Government are unfairly advertising on the Motorway network!

Is there any other destination that's quite so over-signed on the UK network?

[Ritchie333]

The hamlet of Brenzett, which as far as I can tell has a population of under 400, appears to have previously been a de-facto primary destination, because it's where the A2070 meets the A259. These are gradually getting phased out and replaced with the more sensible Hastings, but there are still several hanging around, such as:

This one on the A28 is signposted "Canterbury, Brenzett", sending traffic in the wrong direction and bypassing the town centre.

This one is the main signposted route out of the station (domestic side) towards the M20. You'd have thought "London, Channel Tunnel" or even "Other Routes" would have been appropriate, but this gets "Brenzett" too.

This one displayed "Brenzett" until around 2021, when it was switched to "Hastings".

[KeithW]

The hamlet of Brenzett, which as far as I can tell has a population of under 400, appears to have previously been a de-facto primary destination, because it's where the A2070 meets the A259. These are gradually getting phased out and replaced with the more sensible Hastings, but there are still several hanging around, such as:

This one on the A28 is signposted "Canterbury, Brenzett", sending traffic in the wrong direction and bypassing the town centre.

This one is the main signposted route out of the station (domestic side) towards the M20. You'd have thought "London, Channel Tunnel" or even "Other Routes" would have been appropriate, but this gets "Brenzett" too.

This one displayed "Brenzett" until around 2021, when it was switched to "Hastings".

Brenzett as I am sure you know is on the route of the A259 which is not only primary but trunk and of course meets the A2070 from Ashford. When I lived in Lydd I passed through that junction many times. My Sunday journeys started in Middlesbrough and ended up near Dungeness. Back then of course we used the old B2070 which took me through Kingsnorth and Hamstreet. Is the aeronautical museum still there ?

[rhyds]

The hamlet of Brenzett, which as far as I can tell has a population of under 400, appears to have previously been a de-facto primary destination, because it's where the A2070 meets the A259. These are gradually getting phased out and replaced with the more sensible Hastings, but there are still several hanging around...

Its like the English equivalent of Llangurig!

[Ritchie333]

The hamlet of Brenzett, which as far as I can tell has a population of under 400, appears to have previously been a de-facto primary destination, because it's where the A2070 meets the A259. These are gradually getting phased out and replaced with the more sensible Hastings, but there are still several hanging around...

Its like the English equivalent of Llangurig!

I think the key difference is that Llangurig (and Brough, and Crianlarich) are recognised primary destinations that are still signed today. I don't believe Brenzett has ever been one.

[rileyrob]

Not quite the same, but there are a handful of signs about that still direct traffic to long abandoned ferry services.
This one on the M9 / M876 for the ferry service from Rosyth for instance. Although I see that some, if not all, of the 'Ireland Ferry' signs on the A83 south of Lochgilphead have been updated.
I also have an idea that there used to be a sign on the A9 for a ferry service from Invergordon, but can't find it now.

[C83]

More of an opposite here, but have Transport Scotland taken offence at the Queensferry Crossing/Forth Road Bridge as it seems to appear of few if any signs these days, other bridges e.g. Kincardine, Erskine are still signposted. It's a useful destination in its own right as particularly around Falkirk and West Lothian, 'Perth' could either mean via Stirling (M/A9) or Forth Bridge (M90).

[Rambo]

Macclesfield and Whitchurch are comically over signed in Warrington. And barely have any relevance. They feature on many signs in the middle of the town as primary destinations.
https://www.google.com/maps/@53.3865866 ... ?entry=ttu
Macclesfield isn't even on the A50 so unsure why it over features.
Whitchurch, while being the next primary destination along the A49 is 40 miles away and an hour drive. Perhaps a legacy from the pre motorway days?
The next signed destination south along the A49 instead could be Northwich which while isn't on the A49, is accessed from it via the A533. Even Runcorn is barely signed from the centre of Warrington.

[Summers-lad]

Not quite the same, but there are a handful of signs about that still direct traffic to long abandoned ferry services.
This one on the M9 / M876 for the ferry service from Rosyth for instance. Although I see that some, if not all, of the 'Ireland Ferry' signs on the A83 south of Lochgilphead have been updated.
I also have an idea that there used to be a sign on the A9 for a ferry service from Invergordon, but can't find it now.

I don't recall ever seeing a sign for an Invergordon ferry (which as far as I know was only ever a foot ferry, and I think last sailed in the late 1970s) but, quite sensibly, there are signs for the summer-only Nigg ferry.
On the B9163 there used to be a sign, rather like the more famous one at Stromeferry, to "Alnessferry (no ferry)", but it's gone.

[Herned]

Its like the English equivalent of Llangurig!

Llangurig was my immediate thought when I saw the thread title

[rileyrob]

I also have an idea that there used to be a sign on the A9 for a ferry service from Invergordon, but can't find it now.

I don't recall ever seeing a sign for an Invergordon ferry (which as far as I know was only ever a foot ferry, and I think last sailed in the late 1970s) but, quite sensibly, there are signs for the summer-only Nigg ferry.

Wasn't there a ferry from Invergordon to Orkney or Shetland for a few years? In fact, there was, a freight ferry started in 2002 to Orkney by Pentland: https://www.scotsman.com/news/freight-f ... ey-2467172

[rhyds]

Its like the English equivalent of Llangurig!

Llangurig was my immediate thought when I saw the thread title

To be fair, as Ritchie points out Llangurig is a Primary Destination, and pretty much the only thing that makes sense to sign near the A470/A44 junction (Llanidloes and Rheadr are a bit too far either side). Cardiff airport on the other hand is next to, well, Cardiff and pretty much all of the Cardiff Airport signs are near to RCS with Cardiff on them

[Summers-lad]

I also have an idea that there used to be a sign on the A9 for a ferry service from Invergordon, but can't find it now.

I don't recall ever seeing a sign for an Invergordon ferry (which as far as I know was only ever a foot ferry, and I think last sailed in the late 1970s) but, quite sensibly, there are signs for the summer-only Nigg ferry.

Wasn't there a ferry from Invergordon to Orkney or Shetland for a few years? In fact, there was, a freight ferry started in 2002 to Orkney by Pentland: https://www.scotsman.com/news/freight-f ... ey-2467172

You're right - I'd forgotten about that one, and I think it only ran for a year or two, before the Pentland one, and probably in the early 1990s. It was basically a freight ferry but took cars and passengers when space permitted.
I was thinking of the one across the firth to Balblair.

[Bomag]

The hamlet of Brenzett, which as far as I can tell has a population of under 400, appears to have previously been a de-facto primary destination, because it's where the A2070 meets the A259. These are gradually getting phased out and replaced with the more sensible Hastings, but there are still several hanging around...

Its like the English equivalent of Llangurig!

Llangurig also had the shortest train service if any opened passenger line - it shut after the first train.

[Micro The Maniac]

I was reminded about how massively over-signed Cardiff Airport seems to be given its relative lack of size.

If I recall correctly, the Welsh Government bought Cardiff Airport when the previous owners decided to close it down.

I can't help wonder that these two observations are related...

[rhyds]

I was reminded about how massively over-signed Cardiff Airport seems to be given its relative lack of size.

If I recall correctly, the Welsh Government bought Cardiff Airport when the previous owners decided to close it down.

I can't help wonder that these two observations are related...

As I mentioned in the original post that did cross my mind, however a lot of those signs pre-date the purchase by a good while.

[orudge]

More of an opposite here, but have Transport Scotland taken offence at the Queensferry Crossing/Forth Road Bridge as it seems to appear of few if any signs these days, other bridges e.g. Kincardine, Erskine are still signposted. It's a useful destination in its own right as particularly around Falkirk and West Lothian, 'Perth' could either mean via Stirling (M/A9) or Forth Bridge (M90).

Yes, I believe Edinburgh/Perth should be used in place of "Forth Road Bridge", and Dundee instead of "Tay [Road] Bridge".

[XC70]

When I moved to Bolton in 1998, everywhere I went there seemed to be a sign to the "Last Drop Village". When I eventually went to check out what I thought would be a big and exciting tourist attraction I discovered it appeared to be nothing other than a big hotel.

[Bryn666]

When I moved to Bolton in 1998, everywhere I went there seemed to be a sign to the "Last Drop Village". When I eventually went to check out what I thought would be a big and exciting tourist attraction I discovered it appeared to be nothing other than a big hotel.

I'd love to know how they wangled those signs, I too used to wonder what this amazing place was - I'd thought maybe some industrial heritage or something, and nope, it's a hotel and wedding venue. Political interference can be the only explanation for it.

Mind you, Wigan Pier being prominently signed off the M61 and M6 makes me laugh too - it's a small museum and a pub.

[rileyrob]

They're too new to be on streetview, but this filling station near Oban now has Filling Station 200yds signs in either direction, proper green trunk road signage. Obviously, the Esso canopy is visible before the signs though.