The national flags on lampposts across the city will now need to be removed for 'safety' reasons the council has said.
It comes after a van mounted cherry picker was seen working on lampposts along Novorossiysk Road last night.
Plymouth City Council confirmed that its contractors were working in the area last night but insists they were only there to 'upgrade street lighting'.
They said the work was carried out under the cover of darkness to 'minimise disruption to the public' and that their contractors arrived to find that some of the flags were 'already down, dropping, or on the ground'.
Any national flags will now be removed as part of what the council describes as 'routine maintenance' to keep road users safe.
A spokesperson told Plymouth Plus that objects fixed to lampposts 'can pose safety risks by obstructing visibility, distracting drivers, or becoming hazards in high winds'.
The spokesperson said that all flags fixed to lampposts across the city will now have to go, adding that 'flags will need to be removed at some point in the future to ensure the safety of all road users and protect the integrity of our infrastructure'.
The latest development comes after months of rows over national flags in Plymouth which sparked a protest in September where rival demonstrations clashed outside the council’s Ballard House headquarters.
Plymouth City Council previously faced national ridicule over its attempts to deal with St George’s Crosses painted on roundabouts on Ham Drive.
Highway workers were sent out with white spray paint in an effort to cover the bold red crosses but instead left faint ghostly flags shining through the fresh paint.
In a statement issued to Plymouth Plus the council said in full:
“We’re aware of reports that some unauthorised flags were removed from lampposts on Novorossiysk Road overnight. To confirm, Council contractors were in the area carrying out works to upgrade street lighting lanterns, works that are carried out at night to minimise disruption to the public.
“We have been assured by the contractor that the flags were not removed by them and were already down, dropping, or on the ground when they arrived. The flags were either removed by a third party or came loose due to the high winds last night.
“We have always been clear that objects attached to street furniture can pose safety risks by obstructing visibility, distracting drivers, or becoming hazards in high winds. Therefore, as part of our routine maintenance programme, any remaining flags will need to be removed at some point in the future to ensure the safety of all road users and protect the integrity of our infrastructure.”
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