Cheshire East Leads the Blitz on Street Clutter

 

Cheshire East Council is stepping up its war on street clutter.

A crackdown by the Authority’s highways teams has already seen hundreds of obsolete and unnecessary signs removed from the roadside.

The sweep has targeted illegal advertising, duplicated signs and directions to completed housing developments which can make streets look unsightly and, in some instances, compromise road safety.

The Council is now implementing a range of measures aimed at clamping down on all unnecessary street furniture, including signs, posts, bins and railings.

These include:

• Urging developers, utility companies and highways maintenance teams to remove all redundant street clutter without delay once a scheme is completed
• A full audit of applications for temporary or permanent signage to reduce commercial advertising and avoid duplication
• Encouraging utility companies and highways maintenance teams to close openings in the road as quickly as possible
• Asking business owners to remove A-boards/banners on the highway or removing them on their behalf
• A review of need, number and location each time a mandatory directional or information sign requires replacing
• Contacting estate agents to request they do not place boards within adopted highways

Cheshire East’s initiative, which has been underway for a year, has pre-empted a call from the government for a national ‘de-clutter’ to make streets tidier and safer.

Communities Secretary Eric Pickles has announced that he is writing to all local authorities to urge them to get rid of unnecessary signs, railings and advertising hoardings.

Councillor Rod Menlove, Cabinet member with responsibility for environmental services, said: “As a highways authority, we have a statutory responsibility to maintain a level of signage, bollards and other street furniture for public safety reasons.

“But over time ‘clutter’ can build up which impacts on the character of our towns and villages.

“A proliferation of signs, posts and A-boards can also pose a hazard to visually impaired pedestrians and affect motorists’ concentration.

“Over the past year we have worked hard to develop new ways of regulating signage and de-cluttering our streets, and the results are already clear to see.

“We are proud to be ahead of the Government’s campaign and we look forward to seeing other councils following our lead.”