A BIG thumbs down has been given to add-ons to the controversial Welcome to Leeds signs.

After 18 months, Leeds City Council has finally added new signs - stating the name of the town or village being entered.

Vandalised signs have been cleaned up and an additional 26 - costing a total of £17,000 - have been put up across the area

But even though designs for the add on signs were approved by local councils - and in Aireborough were the subject of a competition - they have been criticised for being poorly designed and making things even worse.

Margaret Marshall, (right) 68, of Newall Close, Otley, said: "I thought when the signs first went up that they were very gaudy. They also confused people coming in to Otley - we're 12 miles away from Leeds.

"I like the new signs, but the Otley bit should have been on the top and said Welcome to Otley with the Leeds bit underneath."

Tony Middlemiss, (left) of Geo Middlemiss Butchers, Market Street, Otley, said: "It looks like they've stuck a bit of board underneath the sign.

"I would rather they'd said Welcome to Otley than Welcome to Leeds. It's a disgraceful waste of money that could have been spent on doing up the swimming Pool."

Philip Jowett, (pic) 50, of Cookidge, said he had always thought the Welcome to Leeds signs were a bad idea.

"When I saw someone had scrawled out Otley and put Leeds on one of the signs I thought, good, someone cares for their community.

"The additional signs are a waste of money, they should have put Otley on them in the first place."

Janet Mountain (right) of The Princess Pub, Yeadon, said: "The new signs are a waste of money, it could have been used on something more useful like education."

In Pool-in-Wharfedale, Jennifer Wilkinson, of North View Stores, said: "It's a scandalous waste of money. I don't think they should have put them up in the first place."

John Townsend, from Guiseley, said: " I can remember when I first saw the Welcome to Leeds signs, I thought they were absolutely awful and wondered how they could have ever have done them."

Peter Ryan, from Idle, an artist, said: "I think the new signs are garbage. They look like they've been pulled out of a computer. They could have come up with something more artistic. These just look most unattractive."

And John Rimington, from Rawdon, said: "The new signs are a total waste of money. They must also have been designed by someone from Australia because they're all upside down. It should say Rawdon on the top and Leeds on the bottom.

"The Bradford signs are much more attractive, they look like a lot more effort has gone into the design. The coats of arms on the Leeds signs just look pathetic."

Billy Howie, (right) from Idle, a postman for 30 years, said: "The new signs are scandalous, they should say Welcome to Rawdon, not Welcome to Leeds and why has it taken the council so long to do it?"

More than 3,500 people signed the Wharfedale Observer's petition

calling for the signs to be changed when they first started going up in April last year.

More than 40 Welcome to Leeds signs - costing £50,000 - went up. Following massive opposition the council said it would add localised signs to the originals.

A spokeswoman for Leeds City Council said given the very individual nature and character of the towns and villages, additional signs had been put up showing local place names.

"The additional signs are in keeping with the location and identity of a community and will give local messages of welcome. Where appropriate, local crests will be displayed either side of the place name.

"The local names have been chosen following consultations with local and ward members, local members of parliament, members of the parish and town councils and representatives from local communities."

Councillor Elizabeth Minkin,

executive board member with

responsibility for development and sustainability, said: "We hope the signs will be useful to motorists and serve as a reminder that they are entering one of the country's most popular and thriving districts."

n What do you think about the add-on signs? Write to The Editor, The Wharfedale Observer, 9 Orchard Gate, Otley. LS21 3NX.