Graffiti slamming Active Travel Scheme sprayed around Louth town centre

People living in the town centre woke up this morning to see various slogans aimed at the scheme sprayed on Mercer Row and Eastgate.

Some of the slogans spray-painted on the ground near to the controversial parklets – which have been targeted by three vandalism attacks in recent weeks – include “C III would hate these”, “We are Louth” and “£62,000” – an apparent nod to the cost of the parklets.

Coun Richard Davies, executive member for highways, has criticised the defacing of the road as a “terrible way to behave” and that the graffiti has “drawn the reputation of Louth publicly downwards”:

“It is this that residents and potential visitors to the area will see and remember,” he said, “These actions are not acceptable, and we won’t tolerate vandalism to public property. We have passed this matter to the police.

“Taxpayer’s money, at this time of hardship in every sector, will be used to clean this graffiti away so that people can go about their business in Louth without being subjected to more vandalism.

“This is yet another example of the Louth Active Travel Scheme not being allowed to run its course by a minority of people whose response isn't to have a conversation or put their views across to the Louth Transport Board or us directly, but to destroy and vandalise what many others have used and enjoyed.

"The philosophy behind the scheme is valid and a trial with a lifespan of 18-months. We have already seen that the Parklets were being widely supported by use, proving the need for this sort of behavioural change opportunity in Louth.

“Controversial as they may have proved to be, the ATS has provoked the conversation about a sustainable future that so clearly needed to be had.

“We will know take what has happened and use that as the base for further conversations with the Louth Transport Board later this month to discuss there what the future of transport provision is for the town.”

A Lincolnshire Police spokesman said: “We are investigating criminal damage in which graffiti was sprayed onto a road in Louth.

“We believe the graffiti was sprayed onto the roadside sometime between Monday 10 October and the morning of Tuesday 11 October.

“Anyone who may have witnessed this taking place can call us on 101, quoting incident 83 of 11 October.”