ENGLISH Heritage's "Save Our Streets" campaign is urging local residents annoyed by the amount of "street clutter" in their town centres to carry out personal audits assessing the variety, state and quantity of objects placed on roads and pavements by councils, and then send them to a local councillor.

People should focus on a range of features in the audit. Is paving shoddy? Are there too many adverts, guardrails, plant containers? Are bollards, bus shelters, benches and street lighting too few, too many, incorrectly positioned or covered in graffiti? And most importantly, is the town cluttered with a mass of purposeless signs?

The Herald conducted an audit of its own - from a quantity aspect only - and found a staggering amount of street furniture populating a fairly short stretch of road.

From the junction at Somerfields at the bottom of the High Street to the roundabout next to the magistrates court at the top of Normandy Street, there were 329 fixed individual items, two-thirds of which comprised 67 roadside- and traffic-bollards, and 46 sign posts with 110 signs attached.

By comparison, there were only 15 bins, 10 benches and three post boxes.

English Heritage is asking the Department of Transport to develop "streetscape manuals" informing highway engineers about what "management solutions best fit the rich traditions of each area".

The campaigners also want workshops for planners and engineers that ensure "good design and co-ordinated street-management become the norm not the exception".

But is there really that much of a problem with street clutter? If so, does it affect Alton? And do Altonians actually care?

Beech resident Stan Fletcher said that the town-centre litter bins and current lamp-posts "blend in", but that "traffic signs don't actually achieve anything".

"When you get so many, people don't really look at them," he said. "The direction signs for pedestrians which have been cleverly crafted are excellent, but that is all we need.

"Fundamentally, all the traffic signs about 'new' roundabouts which have been there over 18 months are not needed and shouldn't be there for more than a few weeks."

Motorists should be fully aware anyway, he said.

"You could use painting on the road for the speed limit. It's used in other countries. You don't need signs to distract your attention."

Rosemary Fletcher, also from Beech, agreed that signs "warning" drivers of traffic lights are a waste of time.

"It shouldn't matter if traffic lights are new or old," she said. "Road users should be aware of them being there and shouldn't need a sign saying so."

Tabatha Parks, of Alton, thinks there are too many bollards, but not enough street lighting.

"There should be more street lamps to light up the streets when its dark," she said. "This could reduce crime,"

More benches and "clearer signs" were also needed, in her opinion.

Catharine Ayres, a former resident of Alton who now lives in Froyle, believes that street furniture is vandalised too much.

She also believes there are too many bollards, but admitted that "cars park everywhere". However, she realised that residents would be powerless to get rid of them even if they wanted to.

"There isn't a lot we can do about it. They're up to stay."