A council in Stoke-on-Trent has come under scrutiny after painting “School keep clear” road markings outside a residential street where no school has existed for 15 years. The markings appeared last week on a road in Longton, prompting confusion and concern among local residents.

The site previously housed Edensor Technology College, a school that closed in 2011 following a merger with a secondary school located about two miles away. Since then, the former school premises have not been used for educational purposes. Homeowners near the new markings expressed worries about the potential for parking fines on their street, which they use regularly.

In addition to the puzzling road markings, residents criticized the council’s decision to resurface the road prior to applying the paint. Many pointed out that while their street was freshly resurfaced, nearby roads continue to suffer from significant pothole damage. Local resident and former landlord Ali Hassan, 72, who lives close to the markings, questioned the cost implications of the error. “There has not been a school here for 15 years,” Hassan said. “How much is it going to cost to fix and who will be paying for it?”

The unusual road sign has also attracted attention on social media, with some users highlighting errors such as an upside-down “S” in the marking. Benjamin Elks from the TaxPayers’ Alliance described the incident as a clear example of bureaucratic waste. “This is exactly the kind of wasteful bureaucratic blunder that leaves residents tearing their hair out while genuine problems like potholes are ignored,” Elks said.

In response, Jane Ashworth, the Labour leader of Stoke-on-Trent City Council, issued an apology to affected residents and confirmed that the authority is reviewing the situation. Ashworth said the council plans to remove the markings and assured the public that no parking tickets would be issued to those who park on the incorrectly marked road. She added that officials are investigating how the error occurred to prevent similar mistakes in the future.