ROADSIDE signs on a stretch of road where a pedestrian was fatally injured caused visibility problems for motorists at night, a court heard yesterday.Traffic policeman Chris Rodda told a jury at Ipswich Crown Court that headlamps on vehicles produced a glare from three roadside signs on the A134 Sudbury to Colchester road – close to where 28-year-old Wayne Goode was killed in the early hours of New Year's Day.

ROADSIDE signs on a stretch of road where a pedestrian was fatally injured caused visibility problems for motorists at night, a court heard yesterday.

Traffic policeman Chris Rodda told a jury at Ipswich Crown Court that headlamps on vehicles produced a glare from three roadside signs on the A134 Sudbury to Colchester road – close to where 28-year-old Wayne Goode was killed in the early hours of New Year's Day.

The effect of the glare from the road signs was to cause the area beyond the signs to appear much darker, he explained.

He said that if the accident happened as Mr Goode was walking on the Colchester side of the road signs, it was reasonable to assume that approaching traffic would not have readily seen him because of the lack of street lights and Mr Goode's dark clothing.

Questioned by Roger Harrison, defence counsel for 22-year-old Martin Law who is accused of causing Mr Goode's death by dangerous driving, Pc Rodda agreed that the highway code stated that pedestrians walking on a road at night should face oncoming traffic and should wear something bright.

The officer said that Mr Goode, of Broomhill Road, Ipswich, appeared to have been walking with his back to traffic and was wearing dark clothes at the time of the accident at 2.40am.

Law, of Sandpiper Close, Haverhill, has denied causing Mr Goode's death by dangerous driving in the early hours of New Year's Day.

The trial continues today.