RESTRICTIONS placed on drivers travelling through the back streets of Bolton have come in for some severe critique.

A dedicated resident of the town centre has been on a mission to worm out what he believes to be ill-advised warnings for drivers.

Keith Booth has hit out at Bolton Council for putting up 20 mile per hour limits on back roads near his home and beyond.

The 70-year-old, who lives in Pool Fold in Doffcocker, has accused the council of wasting money erecting speed limit signs on roads which do not need them.

He said: “It is the size of the roads, it is impossible to do 20 miles per hour on them. It is a total waste of money.

“In some places they have put signs at the end of the lane but not the other, which is a complete waste of time.

“One with a cobbled street is 50 meters long and in my years here I have never seen anyone use it, and it doesn’t even have a sign at one end either.

“Another road is just where people park their car, no one is driving fast around there.

“These types of signs are literally all over Bolton on the back streets.

“Spending money on putting them up is a disgrace.

“I have challenged the councillors to walk round with me and see these streets and condone them but I have had no response.”

Mr Booth has even taken to the streets with a camera to photograph evidence of miss-placed signage for himself.

Among the ones he’s pointed out as useless include two signs on Chorley Old Road and three more in Church Street.

Offending streets include areas where there are few houses or front doors leading on to the road or where it is such bad condition he believes it would be impossible for someone to drive at speed down it.

He added: “The roads in Bolton are literally crumbling yet money is being wasted on these ridiculous signs.”

Bolton Council said the signs were part of on going safety work to the town’s streets.

A spokesperson said: “Bolton Council made a decision to support a general road safety initiative to reduce the speed limit on most residential roads to 20mph.

“The signing is the minimum required to provide an enforceable reduced speed limit in an area and all public entry and exit points must be marked.

“Road maintenance also remains a priority for the council.”