Green fingers wanted to spruce up main road roundabouts. (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Green fingers wanted to spruce up main road roundabouts.

FRUSTRATED gardeners who've run out of space at home could find new outlets for their green-fingered skills - on Cirencester's busy approach roads.

County highways officials have indicated their willingness to listen to approaches from anyone who feels they could bring a little more colour to the main road roundabouts, especially in Jubilee year.

But, and it's a big BUT, the successful applicants, including anyone wishing to sponsor improvements, would have to observe strict conditions.

And if they planned to work on roundabouts, they would need to show they possessed good eyesight, sound hearing, and an ability to move quickly if required.

More seriously, they would need to have or be prepared to take out the insurance necessary to cover them against accidents.

"Obviously roundabouts on major roads are not the easiest places to work on," said Lawrence Elcocks, the county council's area transportation manager.

"And whilst we would be happy to look at any suggestions, I have to say that many would not succeed."

Mr Elcocks said the flower-covered roundabouts so often seen at seaside resorts would not be suitable in the Cotswolds.

"The Cotswolds is a special area and we need to be very careful on what sort of thing is done," he said.

"We certainly don't want a proliferation of signs on roundabouts, that would be distracting and therefore dangerous, but signs are something most sponsors want.

"I know they are accepted in Wiltshire but here, for the time being, we have a 'no' policy on signing."

Mr Elcocks added that whoever sponsored or carried out any planting would remain responsible for maintaining it once the work had been started.

There are five roundabouts on Cirencester's dual carriageway ring road, and two more at the new Burford Road junction with the bypass.

The county has already drawn up a scheme for re-signing the ring road over the next year or two, including, for the first time, roundabout names on approach signs.

Approaching from the Tetbury direction, the roundabout names will be Stroud Road, Hospital, Watermoor, Kingsmeadow, and London Road.

Names for the two new ones in Burford Road have yet to be decided.

For the first time, area names like Chesterton and Watermoor will be signed to provide motorists with more information.