Brexit-backing town outraged after council erects EU-style signposts with distances in METRIC measurements
The metric signs along routes through Burnley cost taxpayers £4,300
A TOWN that voted for Brexit has seen its council erect EU-style signposts that use kilometres instead of miles.
The 45 new signs around a nature park have left locals livid in Burnley.
Grandad John Pickup, 68 — among the two thirds there who voted to stick two fingers up to Brussels — fumed: “It’s disgraceful.”
The retired car dealer claims town hall officials tried to blame the county council when he contacted them to complain.
He stormed: “We are supposed to be coming out of Europe so why the hell have they put signs up in kilometres?”
The metric signs along routes through Brun Valley Forest Park cost taxpayers £4,300.
Teaching assistant Andy Taylor, 39, who regularly cycles there, said: “They should be in miles — because all the road signs are.”
Jayne Adye, of campaign group Get Britain Out, said it smacked of the Labour council taking revenge on the 66.4 per cent of locals who voted Leave.
She called the signs ridiculous.
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Burnley’s Labour MP Julie Cooper, who wanted to stay in Europe, admitted that at first she too was puzzled by the signs.
But she said it was explained to her they were part of a fitness trail and that personal tracking gadgets tend to be metric.
Ian Mann, treasurer of the local angling club, scoffed: “I’m confused they are in metric and not imperial because that’s what everyone uses.
“I suppose the younger generation are cycling and jogging and using these new apps.”
But car dealer John, who lives with wife Kath, 74, in nearby Worsthorne, said most visitors to the park were older folk, many of them dog walkers.
The Sun reader said: “Some people say kids are taught in metres — but kids don’t go down there. It’s just us golden oldies.
“We’ve fought and won two world wars and finally won our referendum to come out of the European Union.
“But now we are producing pathway signs in kilometres.”
A town hall spokesman said: “Burnley has some beautiful places to visit, whatever way you want to measure it.”