Town halls will be rewarded for taking action against the scourge of unnecessary traffic signs with a new prize launched by Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin.

The award is part of the Government's drive to cut the number of signs in towns, cities and countryside. The Government says that many local authorities are making good progress in getting rid of clutter from their roads but it wants to see more action being taken to make what it describes as old and confusing signs a thing of the past.

McLoughlin said: "Pointless signs blot our landscape, confuse motorists and are expensive to maintain.

"This new award is about recognising and showcasing the good work being done by local authorities across the country, and I urge councils who are taking action to tackle this problem to put themselves forward.

“I want these examples to inspire other councils to improve their streets and public spaces."

The awards ceremony will take place on June 13 at the Chartered Institute of Highways and Transportation Awards. Entries are open to local authorities in England who can demonstrate they have taken some of the following steps to make their local streets free of sign clutter. These include:

• Improving the environment by providing less clutter, particularly traffic signs
• Demonstrating savings in sign maintenance costs
• Conducting a sign audit to establish if signs need replacing
• Removing signs that are no longer of use

In January, the DfT provided new guidance to local authorities to continue the sign clutter cull as cost-effectively as possible. The document called ‘Reducing Sign Clutter' provided local authorities with case studies from London, Hampshire and Somerset to help inspire others to get involved along with hints and tips on how to get started in removing pointless signs.