That is a bold statement… (Picture: SWNS)
It’s not every day you see a bright blue and red road – but that’s exactly what’s one seaside town has been given.
And it’s not a gimmick.
Locals in the popular holiday destination of Paignton, Devon, were stunned, horrified and confused all in equal measure at the bold newly-painted street in their town centre.
Situated along a stretch of the south-west coast dubbed the ‘English Riviera’, Paignton is known for being a bit of a British tourist hotspot.
With its beautiful white sand, vibrant blue water, traditional pier, colourful beach huts and plenty of shops in close proximity, it ticks all the boxes for the perfect getaway,
But now the seaside resort’s famous ‘Golden Mile’ has undergone somewhat of a makeover, prompting quite the reaction among residents.
Torbay Road runs right through the middle of Paignton and is a big hit thanks to its plethora of pubs, restaurants and amusements – hence its nickname.
The centre of Paignton’s ‘Golden Mile’ is now bright red and blue (Picture: SWNS)
However, a crossroads smack bang in the centre of the mile-long street has been slathered with a gaudy fresh lick of paint.
The local council says the new scheme is intended to make the Garfield Road and Queens Road area safer for motorists and pedestrians.
People are not impressed, though, and the backlash has been fierce with bemused residents kicking up a social media storm, saying it resembles a ‘dance floor’ or ‘swimming pool’.
Writing on the town’s local Facebook group Spotted Paignton, one said: ‘Goodness me. Give the holidaymakers a good laugh I suppose. How to waste money – just ask Torbay.’
Not everyone is overly impressed with the new look (Picture: SWNS)
‘It looks rank’
A particularly furious resident wrote: ‘What they’ve done to Torbay Road is an utter mess and a cheap bodge job.
‘Looks rank, including this new addition. They are the worst roads in the country.
‘Maybe the council and highways should spend the money on repairing the pothole ridden and dangerous roads of Torbay instead of this stupidity.
‘The clowns have escaped from the circus and left their mark on the road.’
Paignton lies along a stretch of the south west coast dubbed the ‘English Riviera’ (Picture: SWNS)
One local mother added: ‘Me and my daughter looked at it this afternoon, she said, “are they putting in a playground mum?” I was puzzled.’
‘How lovely, can’t wait to get the chalk out and do some hopscotch,’ said one who wasn’t alone in their tongue-in-cheek responses about games.
‘Draw some circles and we have our very own Ludo board,’ another said.
Someone else simply said: ‘Walked past it today and just had to laugh.’
Quite the furore.
The pier in Paignton might not be the biggest attraction anymore – there’s a big new splodge of paint in town (Picture: SWNS)
A spokesperson for Torbay Council said: ‘With increased traffic at this junction, the surface contrast provides greater clarity for road users and pedestrians, ensuring all road users can use the space safely.
‘The red is to remind motorists as they approach the junction to slow down and think ‘should I be driving through here’ before proceeding to turn slowly at the junction.
‘The blue is to better define the carriage for pedestrians and to reflect some of the placemaking ambitions for a permanent scheme.’
Paignton by name, paint on by nature…
Earlier this year, an artist painted 63 homes on one street in an array of different colours, earning it the title ‘rainbow road’.
In other cases of some unhappy residents, people were left feeling like jungle explorers after wild overgrowth completely took over the pavement.
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Paignton by name, paint on by nature…