ROAD signs welcoming people to this region are set for a tartan transformation in 2025.
Plans are afoot to ditch older run-down “Welcome to Dumfries and Galloway” road signs — and replace them with rebranded signs which include the slogan “Scotland Starts Here”.
The patriotic posts will also feature Gaelic wording under new directions to promote the country’s traditional language.
A Gaelic signage and language plan report will be considered by councillors at the council’s education, skills, and community wellbeing committee next week.
And a report for that meeting states: “There has been a long-standing council committee decision dating back to January 2020 where the council’s communities committee, at that time, considered a request from the chair of voluntary group Gaelic DumGal, requesting that the council adopts a policy of introducing bilingual Gaelic/English signs when signs are due for natural replacement, and that priority should be given to the ‘Welcome to Dumfries and Galloway’ signs which are displayed at the main entry points to our region.”
Elected members previously agreed in principle for the inclusion of Gaelic language on road signs — but then covid hit and the world was turned upside down for two years.
In 2023/24, a full audit of the roads signage was completed by the council’s roads service and it was confirmed that many signs, including supporting posts, were needing replaced.
The report continues: “This presents an opportune moment to integrate a Gaelic translation into the new signage on a cost neutral basis (i.e. when signs are naturally due for replacement).”
The responsible tourism strategy endorsed by the council last year also calls for making ‘Scotland Starts Here’ branding to be significantly more visible within the region.
Borders Council has already implemented the Scotland Starts Here (SSH) branding on 15 signs and will roll more out going forward.
Officials here say: “The project to replace the existing ‘Welcome to Dumfries and Galloway’ signage presents an ideal opportunity to integrate the SSH signage at the same time as introducing the bi-lingual Gaelic signage.”
At next week’s committee, councillors will be asked to support the signage changes and recommend that funding is allocated.
