The Abbey Fields housing development is much closer to the A34 than previous estates, and a long and, in places, high fence has been installed to reduce noise from the 70 mph dual carriageway.
The Town Council is currently exploring ways to use developer money to enhance the town through public art. One suggestion being looked at is improved town entry signs.
It made me wonder whether this long stretch of fencing could be used more imaginatively.
Rather than leaving it as a canvas for tags and self-promotion for graffiti artists, could it become a space for celebrating Abingdon itself with history, landmarks, and riverside views.
You’re having far too much fun with Chat GPT! 😀
The reflection photo is very impressive.
Brilliant idea – have you suggested it to the Town Council? Maybe some of our wonderful local artists could provide the artwork.
Hester- it will just be re-graffitied so not really a great idea, just a waste of money
A bit like the great mural that Margaret Jones painted in the Stratton Way underpass, maybe 25 years ago
If you go along the highways and byways of the UK you will see many such barriers and all of them have been grafittied. Not only that but there are a lot of common tags, I’m not nearly young enough to read or make sense of them but the same ones crop up hundreds of miles apart. Does anyone else remember the fence observable from the M40 East of High Wycombe “Why do I do this every day?” I’d love to see more of that sort of philosophy at the roadside rather than performative, tedious tagging.
Plant trees in front of them. It removes the graffiti eyesore and also helps with shielding residents from road noise