PUZZLED pedestrians are adjusting to new signs in Boscombe which have elected to give distances using the metric system.

In a departure from tradition, several signs along Woodland Walk have opted to use metres and kilometres to inform people of the distances to nearby areas including Fisherman’s Walk beach, Bournemouth town centre, and Kings Park.

Passers-by accustomed to reading distances in yards and miles have remarked on the “strange” use of the metric system for the signage.

Phil Cook said: “It is a bit silly as we calculate distance in miles in this country. Having the signs in kilometres does seem a bit strange.

“When we’re driving, we think in terms of miles and, when I’m walking, I think in terms of imperial distances too.”

Scott Butcher added: “We’ve used the imperial system for distances for so long in this country so what’s the point in changing that?

“I think it’s strange the signs use kilometres because that’s the European way of going about it.”

However, Stefan Kleipoedszus, originally from Germany but since a Boscombe resident for 10 years, said he found the new signs easier to understand.

“Because I’m from Germany, I actually like these signs in kilometres.

“Given the fact there’s quite a lot of tourists here and, I assume, a lot of language students, it somehow makes sense.”

He added: “I found it odd when I walked here and saw the sign, but I find it helpful to be honest.”

Charmaine Denny, resort information manager for Bournemouth council, said the decision to use metric, not imperial, measurements was made in line with a national trend, which has apparently seen most coastal towns adopt metres and kilometres on seafront signage.

“The signs in Woodland Walk were erected in the spring of this year, with the metric measurements used to keep a consistency between these and the wayfinding signage.

“The decision to use metric measurements on wayfinder signage was made at the time of planning the programme to ensure a consistency across the borough signage.”

She added: “Historically, imperial measurements have been used across the borough, for example to describe the length of the bay in Bournemouth, which has always been referred to in miles, but there are currently no plans to alter this, in particular for PR purposes.”