Display of goods or A boards on the public highway

We do not currently license this activity although we do understand that A boards and displaying goods on the highway is important for business owners and the local economy so we have set out some guidelines for businesses.  

Advertising boards etc (‘A’ Boards / For Sale or To Let board, banners etc on the highway) 

  1. No ‘A’ Board / For sale/To Let Board , advertising banners etc shall be fixed permanently onto the highway. A Boards must be temporary in nature so they can be easily removed in their entirety at the end of each trading day. Any unauthorised material attached to any street furniture will be removed immediately without any Notice being given and to be disposed of accordingly. 
  2. For Sale / To Let boards / Banners placed on the highway will not be permitted. 
  3. The following conditions are applicable to placing Advertising Boards on the highway and must be adhered to in all cases. Every ‘A’ Board should comply with these key principles: 
  4. A-boards should not be any bigger than 0.6m wide and 1.1m high. They should have a solid base so that they can be tapped by a visually impaired person using a long cane; 
  5. A-boards should be positioned so that an absolute minimum pavement width of 1.8m is kept clear for pedestrians and in some locations where there is a high pedestrian flow the City Council may require a greater width. This is to ensure that there is no obstruction or danger to any highway users, particularly visually impaired, and disabled, or those with pushchairs etc. A-boards should not be located in the middle of pavements; 
  6. It is desirable for A-boards to be lined up with each other and with street furniture (bins, lamp posts, etc.) to keep pedestrian routes clear; 
  7. The A-board is the responsibility of its owner and the City Council will not be liable for any injury or damage caused; 
  8. The design of the A-boards should not be distracting or confusing to motorists; 
  9. ‘A’ boards must not obstruct sightlines of vehicle drivers, nor block visibility for pedestrians; 
  10. ‘A’ boards will not be allowed on central reservations, roundabouts and busy traffic junctions; 
  11. In pedestrian areas these principles will generally apply although the special nature of these areas means that each case will be considered on an individual basis. A route for emergency vehicles (minimum 3.5m) is normally required in pedestrian areas. 

Display of goods 

The following conditions apply specifically to the display of goods on the footway of a public highway: 

  1. Displays should only be located outside the frontage of the premises so that staff and customers do not have to cross the normal flow of pedestrians. The items in the display should only relate to the business carried out and must not obstruct access into the premises or any fire doors etc. 
  2. All displays must be entirely against the frontage of the trading establishment. A pavement must be at least 2.8m wide before any shop displays are allowed on it. 
  3. The display must not take up more than one-third of the available pavement up to a maximum of 2.5m. A minimum pavement width of 1.8m must be kept clear. In some locations where there is a high pedestrian flow the City Council may require a greater width to be kept clear. 
  4. Goods detached from the frontage will not be permitted under any circumstances. 
  5. Shop displays must not cause a visual distraction or obstruct sight lines of vehicle drivers, nor block visibility for pedestrians. 
  6. No selling or trading will be permitted upon the highway. All transactions must take place within the trading establishment. 
  7. This procedure does not relate to goods displayed at market, street fetes, or lay-bys which are regulated by local byelaws or other special regimes. Any Additional requirements made by the Council, Police or Emergency Services must be complied with. 
  8. These general conditions may not be appropriate in every circumstance. 
  9. Advertising boards and shop displays may need to be removed during events, to permit maintenance of street works or for other reasonable cause. Any additional requirement by the Council, the Police or Emergency Services, including removal of any items, must also be complied with. 

Compliance monitoring will be undertaken as part of the planned programme of highway safety inspections based on the hierarchy of footways and subject to the availability of resources. In addition, ad hoc inspections will be undertaken following the receipt of a complaint or information regarding instances of obstruction of the highway, based on priorities and the availability of resources.