The removal of the advertising boards from the gateway towards Newbury has resulted in damage to one of the lower wooden plinths on one side. Not sure if this is the result of shoddy workmanship of from removal of the sign. Why the organisers of the show have used poor tactics on advertising the event is beyond me. I'm sure for a five mile radius around Newbury many villages have suffered the same problem, it only takes one aspiring graffiti artist with a marker pen to write 'cancelled' on the adverts to reverse their hard work.�

On the subject of the gateways (at least the Newbury Street one) , I believe the placing of them and the speed limit is dangerous and sinister. Firstly having 30mph too far from the bridge causes impatient drivers to overtake on the 30mph stretch when leaving Whitchurch. If you decide to stick with the letter of the law and do 30 till the restriction ends, more often than not, drivers behind will bully you to speed up or overtake. Now the danger in this is that at the NSL you are going to speed up as well causing a 'drag race', you may not be aware that someone is overtaking but the person who is will probably assume your doing it on purpose and will not yield (and even if you was, your the one within the law). So many times have I seen two cars on either side of the road heading towards me when approaching Whitchurch, i'm sure there will be a fatality soon.

Why were they placed so far out of town?� I can only assume that it has to do with a perfect spot for a speed van to camp in the parking lay-by. Personally I think that the gateway speed limit should be 40 with an additional 30mph sign added to the bridge, this would be more sensible than the 150 metre 30mph stretch which is by far too slow for the road. I'm sure if this is not rectified I regret I may be proved right.