Crackdown on illegal posters in Nailsea

NAILSEA Town Council is cracking down on people who put up illegal posters and adverts across the town.

Councillors and residents are concerned about the increasing number of posters, banners and A-boards advertising businesses and local events which are being put up next to major roads, causing a distraction to drivers.

At the council’s planning and environmental committee on April 27, Howard Blake, of Silverlow Road, said he has been taking photos of the illegal posters he sees attached to railings, fences and hedges in the area and has been ripping them down.

He said: “Over the past few years I’ve noticed an increasing amount of temporary signs going up and they are getting worse.

“Signs are being put up on other signs, trees, telegraph poles and anywhere they can find a space.

“We’ve even had them on road safety barriers which is very distracting and very dangerous at traffic lights and road junctions. It also makes the town look scruffy.

“They are an eye-sore, they are detrimental to the image of the town and in some cases an obstruction to people using the pavements.

“I think something should be done to tell people this isn’t what we want.”

Councillors agreed there had been an increase, particularly on railings, fences and hedges around the former glassworks site and on railings in Trendlewood Way.

However, a few councillors also said they sympathised with businesses who are currently struggling and doing everything they can to stay afloat.

Adverts and signs can be put up on private land with the land owner’s permission and as long as they are within the size allowance, but posters must not be put up on council land.

Committee chairman, Councillor James Tonkin, confirmed the council had contacted North Somerset about the issue. He said: “We have nobody to enforce this ruling as our area officer is on maternity leave. The senior officer has said they are making their best effort to have them removed as soon as possible but repairing road surfaces is the priority.”

The committee agreed to monitor the situation more closely and to ask North Somerset whether it can be given the power to remove any illegal posters.