WE take them for granted and they are part and parcel of our road system.

But do our road signs really make our journeys any easier?

One driving instructor has launched a campaign to shun the signs he believes are incorrect and could be dangerous for motorists.

Tariq Musaji began to notice errors in the way road signs were displayed as he drove around the county with his pupils.

He has identified and photographed at least a dozen signs, which are inconsistent with driving manuals, and is now inviting people to add their own to his campaign.

Mr Musaji, 42, of London Road, Billericay, said: “I’ve been really shocked at the number of mistakes I’ve found.

“Traffic signs and road markings play a vital role in directing, informing and controlling road users’ behaviour.

“I am surprised that for years nobody has done anything to correct these potentially dangerous anomalies.”

A sign in Bramston Way, Basildon, for example, incorrectly tells motorists a mini-roundabout is ahead when in fact it is a full roundabout.

Motorists approaching the same roundabout from Buxton Link are correctly told it is a full roundabout.

Signs in High Road North, Laindon, tell traffic coming from both directions to give way to oncoming vehicles, therefore giving neither way priority.

Mr Musaji, who runs Wickford-based Farrah Driver Training, has also noticed some signs are dangerously damaged and others are so poorly maintained it is difficult to make out what they are saying.

He said: “A one-way sign in Church Park Road, Pitsea, is badly faded and has definitely seen better days.

“There are drivers with poor eyesight who might not be able to make out the exact wordings underneath the road sign and this sign is in dire need of replacement.”

Mr Musaji expects his website will lead to some “red faces” at Essex County Council, because public money has been wasted putting signs up incorrectly.

Before setting up his website, he reported his findings to the authority in March, but received no response and has not seen anything done to correct the errors.

He used guidelines set out in the police driving manual Roadcraft, the Highway Code and the Traffic Signs manual to correctly identify the mistakes.

Mr Musaji said: “The driving theory test is a key part of the driving test, but if pupils are learning about the signs, then finding they're not displayed that way on the road, they can't put their knowledge into action.”

The website can be found at www.essexroadsigns.org