{"id":359827,"date":"2025-08-20T16:16:16","date_gmt":"2025-08-20T16:16:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/359827\/"},"modified":"2025-08-20T16:16:16","modified_gmt":"2025-08-20T16:16:16","slug":"reform-council-will-remove-roundabout-paint-as-truth-emerges-about-popular-online-video","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/359827\/","title":{"rendered":"Reform council \u2018will remove\u2019 roundabout paint as truth emerges about popular online video"},"content":{"rendered":"

City council condemnned in online comments – but the footage was taken in another area over the county border\"RoundaboutsRoundabouts have been painted across Birmingham and nearby areas – this is one at the junction of Haunch Lane and Warstock Lane (Image: Joseph Walshe\/SWNS)<\/p>\n

A Reform-run Midland council is to remove the cross of St George painted on roundabouts – as the truth emerged about a video which wrongly sparked condemnation of Birmingham City Council.<\/p>\n

Roundabouts painted with a red St George\u2019s Cross have been reported across Birmingham<\/a>, as well as in areas such as Bromsgrove<\/a> and Redditch<\/a>.<\/p>\n

It follows the appearance of the Union and England flags in Birmingham neighbourhoods such as Weoley Castle and Northfield<\/a>, with thousands of pounds raised to support the campaigns.<\/p>\n

READ MORE: <\/strong>Birmingham Council issues warning over painting roundabouts amid police enquiries<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Birmingham City Council<\/a> had faced criticism online after issuing a safety warning over the flags \u2013 but some posts have directed anger towards the local authority in a misleading manner.<\/p>\n

One video, shared by a right-wing \u2018activist and political\u2019 organisation on Facebook, appeared to show a vehicle cleaning the St George\u2019s Cross colours from a roundabout and featured a caption heavily criticising the Labour<\/a>-run council in Birmingham.<\/p>\n

As of Wednesday afternoon, it had been viewed millions of times and attracted thousands of comments having been posted the day before.<\/p>\n

But the video actually showed a roundabout in Bromsgrove – an area covered by Reform-run Worcestershire<\/a> County Council.<\/p>\n

The county council confirmed today that any \u201cunofficial actions\u201d on its roads and roundabouts could be distracting and would be removed.<\/p>\n

\"AA painted roundabout on the junction of Priory Road, Trittiford Road and Highfield Road in Birmingham(Image: Joseph Walshe\/SWNS)<\/p>\n

West Mercia Police<\/a> warned painting roundabouts was \u201cdangerous to drivers and pedestrians\u201d and could amount to criminal damage.<\/p>\n

A spokesperson from Worcestershire County Council said: \u201cAll road markings on the county\u2019s highway network are strictly regulated for safety, including those on roundabouts of any size.<\/p>\n

\u201cChanges to agreed road markings must not be made unless approved by the Highway Authority, in line with these regulations.<\/p>\n

\u201cUnofficial actions on the highway network could be distracting or cause confusion to some road users so will therefore be removed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Richard Field, West Mercia Police Safer Neighbourhood Inspector, said: \u201cPainting roundabouts is not only dangerous to drivers and pedestrians but it also amounts to criminal damage.<\/p>\n

READ MORE: <\/strong>Birmingham flag fundraising drives raise thousands amid ‘don’t call this racist’ plea<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cWe are working closely with partners, including Worcestershire County Council, to tackle this issue and will investigate where appropriate.\u201d<\/p>\n

Birmingham City Council echoed a similar message about the roundabouts this week, saying: \u201cPainting the flag of St George on road islands, while expressing national pride, is unlawful and potentially dangerous for the person painting the flag and for motorists.\u201d<\/p>\n

Asked about roundabouts being painted on, West Midlands Police<\/a> added yesterday: \u201cWe\u2019re aware of criminal damage having occurred and we\u2019re carrying out further enquiries.\u201d<\/p>\n

Birmingham City Council \u2018has not removed any England flags since start of August\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n

The presence of the flags, as well as the roundabouts being painted, has sparked a passionate debate in recent days.<\/p>\n

Those responsible have described it as a patriotic move to celebrate the country \u2013 but there was concern from others amid claims flags were being flown for political reasons and to stir up division.<\/p>\n

Regarding the flags, a Birmingham City Council spokesperson said previously that it \u201cproudly flies\u201d the Union flag outside the Council House every day.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe recognise the importance of the Union Flag and Flag of St George as symbols of national pride,\u201d they said.<\/p>\n

\u201cBrummies are proud to be British and proud that this is a welcoming city celebrating many different cultures.<\/p>\n

\"FlagsFlags along Genners Lane and Bartley Reservoir in Birmingham(Image: Nick Wilkinson\/Birmingham Live)<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen it comes to items attached to lamp posts, it is normal council procedure for these to be removed on a regular basis, in line with our health and safety obligations.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs has always been the case, people are free to fly or hang flags from their homes or gardens, but we ask that they are not attached to street furniture,\u201d they added.<\/p>\n

The council also confirmed this week that it had not removed any England or Union flags since the start of August, adding: \u201cPrior to that we have not kept an inventory but removed attachments as routine.\u201d<\/p>\n

In a statement last week, it provided an update on ongoing work to upgrade street lighting in the city, which it said would involve taking down \u2018attachments\u2019 from lampposts.<\/p>\n

\u201cWork is due to begin imminently, and lamp columns need to remain free from attachments so work can be carried out as quickly and safely as possible,\u201d it said.<\/p>\n

READ MORE: <\/strong>Council says ‘Brummies proud to be British’ as flag debate rumbles on<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cLampposts and other street furniture need to be protected which is why highways staff across the city removed around 200 advertising banners and flags that had been attached to lampposts since the start of this year.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey take down attachments from lampposts routinely, including advertising signs, bunting trails and flags.\u201d<\/p>\n

The council said those who attached unauthorised items to lampposts could be \u201cputting their lives and those of motorists and pedestrians at risk\u201d.<\/p>\n

The listed risks included falling debris, electrical hazards, obscured visibility and weakening of the lamppost.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re continuing to do this every week and would ask that staff doing this work be allowed to continue this work unhindered,\u201d the council added.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"City council condemnned in online comments – but the footage was taken in another area over the county…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":359828,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7820],"tags":[855,984,748,16825,393,4884,528,285,386,16,15,16556,7830,9162],"class_list":{"0":"post-359827","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-birmingham","8":"tag-birmingham","9":"tag-birmingham-city-council","10":"tag-britain","11":"tag-bromsgrove","12":"tag-england","13":"tag-great-britain","14":"tag-labour-party","15":"tag-politics","16":"tag-reform-uk","17":"tag-uk","18":"tag-united-kingdom","19":"tag-west-mercia-police","20":"tag-west-midlands-police","21":"tag-worcestershire"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/115061993569952885","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/359827","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=359827"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/359827\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/359828"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=359827"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=359827"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=359827"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}