Campaign to get sites put back on the map

A number of brown signs have been removed from the A1 during the recent programme of road repairs, raising fears the lack of signage could have a significant impact on tourists heading to towns such as Masham and attractions such as Lightwater Valley and Newby Hall.

Businesses, shops and residents have backed a campaign which aims to see signs to Masham reinstated on the motorway to direct potential visitors to the historic market town’s shops and tourist destinations.

Now the Skipton and Ripon Conservative MP, Julian Smith, has met with new Secretary of State for Transport, Justine Greening, to highlight the need for brown signs to be reinstated on the upgraded A1.

“I had a very productive meeting with the new Transport Secretary at Westminster,” Mr Smith said.

“She assured me that the brown signs review is well underway and she was very sympathetic to the issue that I described in Masham.

“She knows the area well and I am quietly hopeful that we will get the result we want eventually.

“I will continue to press ministers to ensure that we get Masham back on the map.”

Richard Compton, owner of Newby Hall and deputy president of the Historic Houses Association, said: “Julian’s help in raising the profile of the issues surrounding brown tourism signs has been invaluable.

“We strongly welcomed the Government’s commitment to reformulate the rules on brown signs and look forward to the development of a national policy to use signs actively to support tourist destinations.

“Tourism is a huge economic and regenerative driver for a region’s economy and signage is an important way of developing the tourism market, generating new visitors to heritage properties.”