“THIS is life-threatening.”

That’s the message from one business owner who says both police and council staff have ignored his concerns about “poor” road signs on a busy Winchester street which is undergoing roadworks.

David Foreman, who works in Hyde Street, said he called 101 because he thought the road closure signs are “inadequate” and “could cause an accident”.

“You don’t see the signs until you are in the street,” he said.

“People are doing three-point turns at the business centre, and there’s single file traffic which people are going straight through (ignoring ‘road closed’ signs).

“It’s no good when you are walking along the pavement with your family thinking you are fine and a car mounts it.”

The works, which stretch 100 metres north from the Mucky Duck pub to outside the business centre and traffic lights, are expected to last until February 15.

The existing tarmac is being replaced with block paving.

Mr Foreman, 66, said: “I rang 101 last Thursday because the place was a disaster area. They have done nothing about it. It’s extraordinary!

“Who the hell signed this off I don’t know, but the quality control is not there. Someone is going to get hurt.”

He said he called the police number last Saturday but they had not logged his call.

“Somewhere the system has failed,” he said.

“It’s either incompetence or a sign of the cuts.

“I’m not letting it go because nothing has been done.”

He has also sent a complaint to Hampshire County Council, and since several signs have been moved. 

A police spokesman said road signs are not a police matter.

He said: “If a member of the public contacts Hampshire Constabulary with an enquiry of this nature in relation to road signage they would be asked to contact the highways authority independently.

“This contact would not be logged as further action from police in this instance would not be required.”

Nobody from Hampshire County Council had replied to the Chronicle’s request for a comment at the time of going to press.