Council's ‘get tough' policy on roadside advertising

CORK County Council is to get tough on the roadside advertising of cars for sale, in response to the plethora of vehicle or trailer-mounted commercial advertising signs on roads throughout the county.

At a recent meeting of Cork County Council, Dunmanway Cllr Declan Hurley (Ind), chairman of the Roads & Transportation Special Purposes Committee (SPC), outlined the draft policy on vehicles, trailers and signs on public roads, advertising products and services. 

Some of the proposals range from fining offenders, to removing the offending vehicles, without giving prior notice to the owner.

It is also being suggested that any vehicle or trailer not claimed within the six-week period could be seized and disposed of by the Council.

Cllr Hurley said the Council had adopted a policy in 2007 in relation to the unauthorised use of vehicles for sale on public roads, but the issue is now being revisited because of vehicle and trailer-mounted advertising signs that are being placed at junctions and busy roads and proving a distraction for drivers.

Cllr Kevin Murphy (FG) said it was a worthy motion and said the abuse of this has come up before and that ‘the whole thing should be locked down’. 

‘There’s a question, too, over advertising on vehicles and make it clear that these are part of the new policy as you can often see trucks parked up for weeks,’ said Cllr Murphy.

Carrigaline-based Fine Gael Cllr John Collins pointed out that in 2007 the Council stopped people selling vehicles at roundabouts and public roads, but that now people were placing trailers inside private property and causing distraction to passing motorists.

‘Is there anything we can do in the future to tackle this problem of advertising on private property?’ asked Cllr Collins.

Courtmacsherry Cllr Paul Hayes (SF) said that there should be scope for charities and sporting organisations if they liaise with the Municipal District concerned.

‘We should communicate with small businesses to let them know that signs must come down,’ said Cllr Hayes.

Cllr Michael Hegarty (FG) pointed out that some businesses could not survive without these signs and gave a slight caution to the proposed by laws.

‘We’re trying to keep rural communities alive so we might be too harsh with the proposals,’ said Cllr Hegarty.

Cllr Declan Hurley (Ind), chairman of the Roads & Transportation SPC (Special Purposes Committee) said that the draft policy is certainly not meant to be anti-business or anti-community.

‘It might be worth taking it back to the SPC to look at it as we’re just putting the policy in place,’ said Cllr Hurley.

Council chief executive Tim Lucey said that he and his team will examine the recommendations in the draft policy and revert back to the SPC on any issues they may have with it.