The two signs, on Buchanan Drive and Milngavie Road, Bearsden, which were put there about two months ago, are meant to display a smiley face if a driver is going at the right speed and a sad face is they are over the limit — but they don't display either.

Councillor Vaughan Moody of Bearsden North, said "The signs haven't worked from day one.

"The situation is a bad joke. It doesn't appear as if they will be dealt with anytime soon, the council and the supplier should pull their finger out."

Residents are also angry that signs which used to be on their street have been taken away, such as Maxwell Avenue and Ledcameroch Road, which have a speed limit of 30 miles per hour.

Ken Sutherland, from nearby Dirleton Gate, Bearsden, said: "The council needs to get its act together and give people the protection they deserve on the roads. Maxwell Avenue is a notorious trouble spot for speeding drivers, I would say one in four cars is doing over the speed limit.

"There are many vulnerable groups of people who need to cross the road including young children on their way to school, elderly folk and disabled. The signs were helping and that's why we'd like them back because they were an effective deterrent. We think they are money well spent because they could save death and injury on the roads."

Jamie Oakes, headteacher of Westerton Primary School, Bearsden, added: "Parents and residents have told me they are concerned about the speed of traffic on Maxwell Avenue.

"It's dangerous for pedestrians as the pavement is narrow. Many people would like to see the signs there again."

Bearsden resident Neil Fraser takes his children to school on Ledcameroch Road every day and would like the sign to be returned because it made drivers reduce their speed.

He said: "Ledcameroch Drive is used as a rat run by some to avoid Bearsden Cross and many drivers are doing over 30 miles per hour.
"When the sign was there you would often see drivers slamming on their brakes.

"A lot of people don't realise that the High School of Glasgow's Junior School is there and many children are in the area."

A spokesperson for East Dunbartonshire Council said: "I can confirm that there is something wrong with the signs on Buchanan Drive and Milngavie Road.

"The one on Buchanan Drive has a defective part and we had to go back to the manufacturer to get it fixed — we hope it will be sorted soon.

"The one on Milngavie Road had a fault which is scheduled to be fixed next week.

"With regards to the sign on Maxwell Avenue being taken away, this is one of about four or five signs in the area which are on rotation. They are moved every three months because they have been shown to have the highest impact straight away. It will be returned on a rota basis."