ANY planned return of Monmouthshire council’s advert signs along the side of county roads has been dealt a blow after a town council gave them the thumbs down.

The county council had hoped to raise £100,000 over a year with a plan by installing signs on their land – but now says it expects to manage only half of that if the project is relaunched.

It put up signs at eight sites around Monmouthshire on September 28 last year – but they were taken down just over a fortnight later after residents complained.

Now it has come back with an expanded project, which could see 43 signs installed, including two in Caldicot town centre and others along the A48, A472, A4810 and B4245.

Residents have left 16 objections on Monmouthshire council’s website to show their opposition to the scheme.

One of them reads: “Not only is this proposal a repellent and pernicious littering of the landscape, it serves no useful purpose. It is also positively dangerous in that such signage is a distraction to the motorist and a potential cause of accidents.

"This proposal is mind bogglingly inappropriate at best and sleazily money grasping at worst."

Last Wednesday Caldicot town councillors said they hope 14 signs in the area are refused by Monmouthshire councillors.

They said the signs would be unsightly and distracting for motorists.

A Caldicot resident for 30 years, Bob Davies, of Taff Road, implored councillors to oppose the plan.

He said: “These signs will impact on people coming into Caldicot. We are trying to re-generate the place.

“I don’t think they are at all appropriate. These business will be paying it to MCC to me it’s not clear how much they will make from these signs.

“I think this is shocking and shouldn’t be allowed.”

In October the Argus reported how the one business who had advertised on the council's adverts was left untold when their signs were taken down once he scheme was suspended.

On Tuesday, Rogiet-based Highmore Carpets’ owner Tom Lewis said a £10,000 deposit had been returned to him – but had not been asked about any advertising in the future.

Mr Lewis said: “I haven’t heard anything for a long time. They won’t answer the phone.”

On the deposit, he added: “They sent it back but I didn’t really want it back. I wanted to continue with [the adverts].”

A Monmouthshire council spokesman said: "The advertising locations provided along the highway verges have not been used. We are anticipating that March's planning committee will approve our application and this opportunity will again be made available to businesses throughout Monmouthshire.

"The £50,000 annual income will always be a challenge and although we will not generate this in the current financial year I expect that it shall be achieved in the current calendar year. This opportunity will provide a great way for local companies to promote their business and since it will also help to secure local services throughout Monmouthshire we will endeavour to ensure that it succeeds."