Town council objects to SGC’s plan for advertising on Savages Wood Roundabout

Savages Wood Roundabout, Bradley Stoke, Bristol.

Members of Bradley Stoke Council’s Planning Committee have objected to plans put forward by a company working on behalf of South Gloucestershire Council (SGC) to install advertising signs on a local roundabout.

Under its Income Maximisation project, SGC decided in December 2012 that it would seek to generate income of around £180k p.a. from selling advertising space on council owned assets and land, with roundabouts, street lighting columns, boundary signs, bus shelters and street furniture being identified as potential sites.

A planning application to install advertising signs on the A38 Aztec West Roundabout (which already hosts some very small advertising boards) was granted permission last month, despite local district councillor Brian Hopkinson arguing that “signs other than direction signs to destinations can be a distraction”.

This has now been followed by a planning application to install “four non-illuminated post-mounted [advertising] signs” on the Savages Wood Roundabout on Bradley Stoke Way (near the leisure centre), which received a frosty reception from town councillors at their meeting on 23rd October.

In a unanimous decision, they objected on the grounds that :

  1. “Advertising signs on this roundabout will be too distracting to vehicle drivers using this busy roundabout which has seen a number of major accidents in the vicinity of the roundabout in the past.”
  2. “The installation of advertising signs on the roundabout will contribute towards an ever increasing plethora/over-proliferation of signs around the area.”

Bradley Stoke district councillors Brian Hopkinson and Sarah Pomfret have since referred the Savages Wood application to SGC’s Development Control (West) Committee, “for members to assess whether the proposed signage would lead to a proliferation of signs in the area to the detriment of highway safety”.

Members of  SGC’s Sites Inspection Sub-Committee were scheduled to visit the roundabout today (8th November).

The Journal understands that the Bradley Stoke in Bloom group has plans to install floral displays and sculptures on a number of roundabouts in the town, possibly aided by sponsorship from local firms, but it is not clear whether this would be affected by SGC selling advertising space on the same sites.

Signage on the A38 Aztec West Roundabout.

Photo: Current advertising sign on the Aztec West Roundabout.

Share this page:

11 comments

  1. Bad idea! There are more than enough distractions around when you’re driving. There really is no need of adding more.

    Driving up north at Birmingham on the motorway, there are huge advertising signs, and I’ve found these so distracting, even though you know you need to keep your attention on your driving.

    Hope they decide against it. Safety aspect aside, we are bombarded with adverts every which way we turn these days. Do we really need to be subjected to more?

  2. What a waste of everyone’s time. You get small advertising hoardings on loads of roundabouts . When you drive up Bradley Stoke Way towards Tesco you have huge advertising signs on your right for the Leisure Centre and on the left for the old age pensioners flats and Tesco.

    The proposed signs on the roundabout appear to be really small and if they distract drivers then that person should surrender their licence.

    Similar signs have already been approved for the Aztec West roundabout setting a precedent, so what grounds are there to refuse these ?

    How South Glos councillors love to spend our money, when they should be encouraging advertising to raise the quoted 180 K that would more than pay for the council’s Chief Executives – Amanda Deeks – £150,000 plus salary (money well spent ? )

  3. I’d much rather have flower tubs rather than more advertising but if anyone is allowed to advertise on Bradley Stoke roundabouts the revenue should go to Bradley Stoke Town Council and not South Glos. Use the revenue to benefit those in the location where it was raised.

  4. Well it would be something to look at when I’m stuck in traffic every morning trying to get out of Bradley Stoke!!!

  5. A decision is due to be made at a meeting of SGC’s Development Control (West) Committee on 21st November 2013. The officer recommendation is that the application be approved (see: report).

  6. I see a planning application has gone in for another Bradley Stoke roundabout, this time the one in the north of the town: (http://bit.ly/1jbFEuo)

    South Glos must be so short of cash, they’ll be wanting to place adverts in my garden next!

  7. So who foots the bill for cutting the grass to ensure these adverts are seen? Seeing as South Glos have washed their hands of grass cutting the town council who are now using our council tax money to perform this act should go out of their way to let the grass grow naturally.

  8. No surprises there SH, SGC rubber stamp their own policy.

    BSTC should refuse to do any grass cutting in front of these signs seeing as they didn’t want them.

Comments are closed.