Signage distracted Devizes motorists (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Signage distracted Devizes motorists

2:05pm Wednesday 10th October 2012 in News

Estate agent Martin Walker has been ordered to remove two banners advertising a forthcoming development because they were distracting to motorists.

The two large reinforced plastic canvas banners were put on scaffolding at The Keep at Le Marchant Barracks, London Road, where Devizes firm Gaiger Brothers is converting the building into flats.

But Wiltshire Council’s highways department objected and they have been removed.

Highways officer Mark Wiltshire said in a letter: “There is an issue of highway safety because the sign is off the ground. It is intended for motorists, but they would have to look a long way from their normal line of sight to read it.

“The small print and washed out colours make the sign difficult to read so motorists who wish to look at the sign would have to look at it longer than would normally be the case.”

Council planners also received a letter of objection from a resident who said the banner was too big.

Planning officer Christie Binmore said although the banners were large, they were in keeping with the size and scale of the building and did not visually dominate.

However, she refused permission on the basis that the wording on the sign was difficult to read.

In a report, she said: “The banners are considered to be distracting to passing motorists due to the high position of the sign and illegibility of the print to the detriment of highway safety on the A361.”