Council bids to use Cornish language on road signs

A bid has been made asking for permission to allow road signs in Cornwall to include both the Cornish and English versions of place names in future.

Cornwall Council believes displaying both languages on any new and replacement signs would help promote Cornish and create a sense of pride.

It explained it did not have the power to do it currently and had written to the Government asking for the ability to.

The Department for Transport said it was committed to supporting the Cornish language but there were strict rules around the design and language allowed on road signs for safety reasons.

Liberal Democrat councillor Dan Rogerson, cabinet member for transport on the council, said: "We already use it in street nameplates... what I've written to the government about is being able to use Cornish on the other road signs.

"Cornish has been recognised and given the same status as a language within the UK as Welsh and Scots Gaelic and there are things that flow from that.

"If you've got Welsh on road signs, if you've got Scottish Gaelic on road signs in those parts of the UK, absolutely Cornish should be there too. Otherwise that push for equality of languages isn't really manifesting itself."

Rogerson insisted it would not cost the council any extra money and existing signs would only be updated when they needed replacing.

"This is not about ripping all the signs down that are there, but as they are replaced we could have the opportunity to do more to promote Cornish using those signs."

He said the Government had explained Wales and Scotland had devolved powers to be able to use their respective languages and a change in the law would be required to allow the same rights for Cornish.

"My response to that will be - can we work together to get that change in the law. As Cornwall Council we're very happy to work with them to get us to the place where we can see Cornish being used in that way," he said.

Nev Meek, president of the Federation of Old Cornwall Societies, welcomed the council's idea and said it could have a positive impact on the spread of Cornish.

"It's really useful for expressing the status of the language. If it's not visible then the message that comes across through signage is that Cornish is some lesser used, lesser value language.

"Whereas if we see it on signs then we'll see that the status of the language will grow and that will encourage more people to take it up and to learn it and to use it."

A spokesperson for the Department for Transport said the government was "committed to looking at how we can go further in our support" for the Cornish language.

They added: "Road signs must follow strict laws around design and language to ensure they are consistent and clear for the safety of road users.

"We have committed to updating legislation about the design of road traffic signs and will consult on this."

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