West Berkshire decided to join the scores of councils who persuade firms to sponsor roundabouts, and then to landscape them.

Vodafone have sponsored the roundabout outside their Shaw HQ, while Bayer have landed prime spot with the Robin Hood roundabout. Fawcetts have taken the ‘Tesco’ roundabout, while Penningtons Solicitors sponsor the ‘Sainsburys’ roundabout.

Other firms involved include Panasonic, Deanwood Park, Cannons, Grundon, Newbury Business Park, Sovereign Housing and Charles Abby letting agent.

The council hired consultants Keegan Ford to arrange the sponsorship talks.

Conservative councillor responsible for the scheme, Gordon Lundie, said: "This is an excellent initiative and a great way for companies to promote themselves in an environmentally-friendly way by bringing the countryside into urban areas."

He added, "Roundabout sponsorship to date has generated around £50K for West Berkshire and looks set to continue at around £40K per annum. Initially, most of the funds cover the cost of landscaping the roundabouts but it is predicted that the project will generate financial benefits that can be used to further enhance the local environment as early as year two."