SCHOOL children have today been blamed for making cyclists in Ipswich lose their way.Signposts in the town, designed to direct cyclists, have been pointing people in the wrong direction for several months and now members of a cycling campaign group have taken it upon themselves to put an end to the confusion.

SCHOOL children have today been blamed for making cyclists in Ipswich lose their way.

Signposts in the town, designed to direct cyclists, have been pointing people in the wrong direction for several months and now members of a cycling campaign group have taken it upon themselves to put an end to the confusion.

Cycle Ipswich, a group who promote cycling in the town, set about correcting four cycle signs that they say were giving cyclists wrong information.

Peter Miller, from Cycle Ipswich and Kevin Ablitt, known as the 'bicycle doctor' after his bicycle repairs shop in Bartholomew Street, in Ipswich, fixed the signs using equipment from Mr Ablitt's business van on Wednesday.

Mr Miller said: “We were aware that several signs were pointing in the wrong direction and waving in the breeze so we informed the borough council on December 6 of last year and despite many promises no work was done.

“So, we took it upon ourselves to fix five signs in the town that have been faulty for well over six months.

“If the borough is not going to do it then we will.”

However, Ipswich council claimed that school children, intent on playing a practical joke on people trying to find their way about the town, are at the root of the problem.

Peter Hussey, transport policy manager at the council, said: “There are a few signs where the fixings are not that great and the kids play around with them or they get knocked by vehicles.

“It's kids really and Mr Miller thinks we have not been out to do anything about it but we have been out and corrected them but unfortunately the kids have put them back again, they think it's funny.

“I appreciate that Cycle Ipswich think we haven't done anything about it but in actual fact we have, it's just that the kids change them back so quickly afterwards we have come to the conclusion that the only option is to change them completely.”

Mr Hussey said the council planned to spend three quarters of a million pounds on improving cycling pathways and signposts in Ipswich before the financial year was out.

He said the work should be completed by Christmas.

The Cycle Ipswich team fixed signs on Cemetery Road, outside Ipswich Hospital, Foxhall Road and Little Bramford Lane.

Have fallen victim to the misleading signposts? What do you think?

Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk.