A ban on A frames from Perth and Kinross pavements could be the controversial upshot of a consultation process that has been launched by the council.
Local businesses are being asked to give their opinions on the use of the freestanding advertising boards in a questionnaire. Making them illegal or introducing a permit system are two of the options being considered.
Senior engineer with Perth and Kinross Council’s environment service Frank Will said, “A frame signing has been a part of streetscapes in both urban and rural centres within the council area for many years but policies and practices for addressing the control of this method of signing have never been formalised.
“It is argued by some that correctly situated and moderately sized signs form a desirable part of the streetscape, providing information to consumers and assisting retailers, particularly where businesses lie off a main street. However, competing businesses vying for attention can lead to a proliferation of signs, which leads to concerns about the resultant street ‘clutter’.
“From another perspective the signs can present a danger for pedestrians, particularly those with children’s prams or pushchairs. In some locations the signs obstruct and inhibit free passage along the footway and people have to walk on the road to get past them.
“The signs can also pose additional safety issues for people with mobility or visual impairments because their location can be altered from day to day and they can be knocked flat, making them a particularly difficult-to-detect trip hazard.”
The council’s roads service operates an informal system of consent for A frames based on a series of guidelines. These are enforced by reacting to complaints, or where members of staff have noticed a contravention of them during their normal duties.
Mr Will said, “These informal guidelines worked well initially but an increasing number of complaints are now being received.”Not conformingAlso there are an increasing number of signs not conforming to the guidelines, be it because of size or location.
“Normally, for those signs which require action, roads staff will arrange for the sign to be relocated or removed, either by the owner, or in the case of their non-action, by the roads service,” Mr Will added. “However, no efforts are generally made to quantify or recover the costs involved.
“In addition there is no mechanism for preventing a sign that has been removed from being replaced once the staff member has left.
“Reacting to these problems is now proving to be an increasing burden on staff resources. In recent times the council’s roads supervisors, the planning enforcement officers and Tayside Police have all been involved in trying to resolve issues with A frames.”
The three options being put to local businesses are the status quo, a total ban and a permit system.
Outlining the benefits of a ban, Mr Will said, “The council could take the stance that all A frame signing is unauthorised under planning legislation and an obstruction under the roads legislation.
“As placing an obstruction on the footway is an offence, the council could then pursue the removal of all A frames by their owners, under threat of legal action against those reluctant to comply.”
A permit scheme would result in the council taking on additional administrative and enforcement responsibilities at a time when staffing resources are “under pressure due to the current and projected financial restrictions.”