I WRITE in support of Alan Greene's letter (

Journal

, February 25) 'Motoring information signs are puzzling'. I hope to ease Alan's puzzlement, as I have written to Devon County Council five times, complaining about the questionable warnings shown on these electronic display units.

My complaints were about the lack of believability of 'Warning Risk of Ice'. The Council's Traffic & Highways Operations Manager responded first. 'Warning Risk of Ice message displayed on December 2 was originally displayed on November 30 in advance of potential freezing road conditions over the following days.

After pointing out that forecasts did not predict overnight road ice for December 1-2, the response was: "we are in the early stages of automating these messages. It is quite likely that the message was not removed on the morning of the 1st because staff were engaged in other matters. The currency of the message is important, but at this stage we are entirely dependent upon available resources and other events ongoing around the county. We are trying to develop the technology so that messages will be displayed automatically."

Finally, two months after my first contact with them, the Council said during December 2009 and January 2010 Warning Risk of Ice was displayed due to unfortunate equipment malfunction, preventing messages from being changed or extinguished. We have identified a solution to the problem and are in the process of implementing it with our equipment suppliers.

I don't agree with Alan Greene that the electronic display units are an un-worthwhile investment, per-se. However, I now add lack of dependability to my concern about the believability of the warnings. More to the point, it looks like the council went into this winter with an unproven warning system. A system which seems to have displayed inaccurate safety messages for some of the riskiest weeks of the year. Warnings which could not be extinguished, even if there were enough staff or resources to do so.

RICHARD STARLING,

Braunton.