A “Keystone Cops-style pursuit” involving local and national government has been criticised for wasting public time and money.
Angus councillors this week voted to ignore warnings from Transport Scotland and its own roads chiefs over a restaurant sign they feared would distract drivers on the A90 near Forfar.
While the Scottish Government-appointed roads body is “disappointed” at the snub, all parties have been told to look beyond such small fry issues in a time of fiscal prudence.
North East Scotland MSP Alex Johnstone said the sign saga had been a waste of time and money.
“I am astonished at the level of wrangling this sign has caused, and I don’t like to think what the costs amount to in terms of time and resources,” he said.
“The organisations concerned in the Keystone Cops-style pursuit of this matter should perhaps draw a line under it and instead take more cognisance of the bigger issues that concern the public.”
The council was asked to amend a retrospective application for advertising at a KFC in Orchardbank business park, which borders the Dundee to Aberdeen road.
But development standards councillors voted to allow operators Herbel Restaurants to keep the controversial 10-metre “sign B”.
Eben Wilson, director of lobby group TaxpayerScotland, thinks the application should have been decided on in council offices.
hE said: “For a country that prides itself on common sense this argument can only be described as barmy.
“We’ve got official against member against bureaucrat in a welter of wasteful opinion about a sign.
“And our taxes are paying for these so-called deliberations.
“This sort of issue should be sorted out locally and take heed of local opinion alone.
“Bringing national agencies in with their need for risk aversion, and threats of legal action, at great expense is beyond silly,” he added.
A Transport Scotland spokesman said: “We are disappointed with the council’s decision as we do not support advertisements when they could cause a distraction to road users.
“This is especially important at junctions, where driver attention should be focused on the road.
“The KFC totem is remote from the restaurant and drivers cannot immediately see what it relates to without taking their eyes away from the road and the approaching junction.”