A wrongly displayed speed limit marking has returned to a road, merely a fortnight after officials began looking into its initial presence.

The 40 indication was originally applied to Gatwick Road in Crawley towards the close of last month, raising queries regarding the identity of whoever applied it and their motivation.

At that time, West Sussex County Council confirmed it had knowledge of the marking and was examining the situation.

The road paint was subsequently covered over.

Nevertheless, it has now surfaced once more on the 30mph thoroughfare.

The unofficial road marking, positioned ahead of a speed camera, was initially captured on camera last month.

When the marking first appeared, numerous individuals speculated that an irritated motorist who had been penalised by the speed camera along that route might be attempting to evade future penalties.

Others highlighted that certain vehicles equipped with adaptive cruise control displayed 40mph as the permitted speed, which could potentially mislead drivers.

A spokesperson for the authority stated that the council had noted the markings had been applied again and that a team would be dispatched to eliminate them promptly. The spokesperson added that residents should be reminded against stepping onto active roadways, as doing so poses dangers to pedestrians and other road users alike.

The county council holds responsibility for overseeing road signs and markings throughout West Sussex.