Flags to be removed from Plymouth streets for safety reasons

But the council hasn't taken any down yet

National flags will be removed from street furniture like lampposts as part of a routine maintenance programme by Plymouth City Council to ensure the safety of road users.

The council says it has not yet removed any flags but will need to “at some point in the future”.

The statement comes after reports of flags being removed from lampposts on Novorossiysk Road in the city overnight.

Council contractors were in the area at the time carrying out works to upgrade street lighting lanterns.

The work was done overnight “to minimise disruption to the public”, said a council spokesperson.

“We have been assured by the contractor that the flags were not removed by them and were already down, dropping, or on the ground when they arrived. 

“The flags were either removed by a third party or came loose due to the high winds last night.

 “We have always been clear that objects attached to street furniture can pose safety risks by obstructing visibility, distracting drivers, or becoming hazards in high winds. Therefore, as part of our routine maintenance programme, any remaining flags will need to be removed at some point in the future to ensure the safety of all road users and protect the integrity of our infrastructure.”

Plymouth City Council asked people to refrain from attaching St George’s Cross flags to public property and painting flags on roundabouts, crossings, walls and signs in August when they started appearing.

But it added it was a “proud and patriotic city” and supported people flying flags from their own property.

It removed 20 authorised markings over one bank holiday weekend with the clean up operation and repainting costing thousands of pounds.

National flags have become more prominent throughout the country as tensions run high over immigration and the issue of removing them and council contractors fearing for their safety was raised at a meeting of the Devon and Cornwall Police and Crime Panel last week.

South Hams Council leader Dan Thomas (Lib Dem), who is also cabinet member for highways on Devon County Council, said there were many emails from residents who said the flags were being put up under the cover of darkness by people with flat bed trucks.

Whilst he accepted it was a civil matter, he called for a “robust message” from the chief constable James Vaughan to promote community cohesion and prevent people from going around attaching flags to street furniture.

“Contractors we employ to remove them are saying they do not feel particularly safe because of the unrest,” said the councillor.

CC Vaughan said it was not for him to make comment on the debate behind why people feel compelled to put flags up but his job was to respect and uphold the law and defend democracy.

He said: “We are a very divided country at the moment.”

“We have marches this weekend, my job is not to comment on causes but ensure people can go about their lawful business and exercise rights and go about peacefully and do not disorder

“Where people break the law, deface, break or damage public property we will record, investigate and bring people to justice.”

He said it was a matter for the owners of the street furniture to remove the flags but he was happy for it to be done in consultation with the police so they were aware of it and could ensure safety.

The police are currently attending around 60 protest marches a month.