Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council
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DONCASTER METROPOLITAN BOROUGH COUNCIL PLANNING COMMITTEE - 23rd November 2010 Application 1 Application 10/02929/3ADV Application 2nd December 2010 Number: Expiry Date: Application Application to Display Advs (DMBC Reg 3) Type: Proposal Display of various non illuminated free standing post mounted Description: sponsorship signs to roundabouts across the borough At: Various Locations Around The Borough Doncaster South Yorkshire (see list in appendix 1) For: DMBC Warmsworth, Cadeby, Third Party None Parish: Stainton, Rossington, Reps: Cantley with Branton, Blaxton, Austerfield, Edenthorpe, Marr, Barnby Dunn & Kirk Sandall, Armthorpe, Thorne/Moorends, Hatfield Ward: Mexborough, Town Moor, Central, Balby, Wheatley, Sprotbrough, Cantley & Bessacarr, Armthorpe, Finningley, Conisbrough & Denaby, Thorne, Rossington, Hatfield Author of Report Gareth Stent MAIN RECOMMENDATION: Grant Further Assessment of the Proposal This application was previously considered at the 23rd November 2010 Planning Committee, where it was deferred in order that the applicants and other interested parties have the opportunity to explore the highway safety implications of the proposal. This was originally intended to take place on the 14th December 2010 committee, however will now take place via a technical briefing to be held on the 8th December at 11.00am. Representatives from South Yorkshire Police, Doncaster Council Highway Safety officers and the applicants are invited to present their case. In addition since the deferral, the applicant (Heather Coulthard: Neighbourhood Manager Bessacarr and Cantley) has written to South Yorkshire police to try and establish how many deaths or accidents have happened in Doncaster regarding drivers reading the signs on roundabouts. The response from Julian Anderson OSS Analyst is attached in full: “A collision having a causation factor resulting from reading a sign would be classed by the Police Officer as a "Distraction Outside the Vehicle." This is an official Dept. of Transport classification. It is not broken down any further into specific reasons. To drill down any further would require a manual read of the case files and or incident logs, assuming the collision is recorded / reported to the Police. It is also worth bearing in mind that it is not really in human nature to admit such errors and if a person was questioned may indicate another reason for the collision. It is also worth noting that slow speed rear end shunts (that may result from read such a sign at a R/about) could be a damage only collision (i.e. no injury) and may never get reported to the police or their insurance company, for that matter. However, this is pure speculation. I have briefly talked to the Sgt. in the Serious Collision Unit regarding this matter, as he has many years of experience and would be aware of such issues if they arose during an investigation or at trial. He states that in some 22 years he can say he has not come across a collision where a sign was a factor. If it had come out during the investigation that a sign had obstructed the drivers view (slightly different to your question but could be a factor), he would have to indicate this to the court.” This response can be discussed at the forthcoming committee meeting. ==================================================================== 1.0 Reason for Report 1.0 The application is required to be presented to committee because it has been submitted by Doncaster Council and is likely to generate significant interest and has objections from statutory consultees. 2.0 Proposal and Background 2.1 The application is for the display of up to 215 non illuminated post mounted sponsorship signs placed within roundabouts and central reservations across the borough. Due to the multiple locations, a single advertisement application has been submitted to cover the entire borough. The signs if approved, will replace several that currently exist within the boroughs roundabouts. The agents and company responsible for making the submission is Immediate Solutions. Immediate Solutions have acted for several other councils on similar advertisement schemes and won the tender to act on the councils behalf to regularise the signage within the borough, make it more efficient and effective. This scheme is not speculative, but part of a strategic programme of works due to be undertaken by the council. 2.2 The submission contains 58 locations within the borough with each having between 2- 8 signs per roundabout/central reservation. Although the general locations of the signs have been shown, the exact position of these signs will need further consideration, and this application is simply to agree the principle of supporting the initiative. The decision will not be issued until these have been agreed. 3.0 Relevant Planning History None of the existing roundabout signage has had advertisement consent. 4.0 Representations 4.1 Due to the number of sites proposed, the application was advertised in the Doncaster Star on the 14th October 2010. No individual letters of opposition were received. 5.0 Parish Council 5.1 Rossington Parish Council: No observations. 5.2 Edenthorpe Parish Council: Request care is taken in positioning the proposed signs so as not to detract from the attractive flowers beds which make the Edenthorpe Roundabout one of the most attractive in the borough. The neighbourhood manager should be consulted. 5.3 Thorne & Moorends Town Council: Object to the application on the ground of Road Safety. If however permission is granted and the project goes ahead the Council requests a share of the revenue generated by signage within the Parish. 6.0 Relevant Consultations 6.1 DMBC Traffic and Road Safety Engineer: The engineer notes that details of the sign construction, installation methods, and materials used would be useful in order to fully assess the likely road safety implications. It is also queried whether passive safety has been considered, what are the secondary safety implications and how the product is likely to perform when subjected to vehicle impact damage and wind loading. Concern was also raised in regard to the ‘spiked’ post tops. 6.2 The officer noted that some of the proposed locations at roundabouts where opposite each entry arm, generally coinciding with the existing location of the mandatory ‘Turn Left’ signage. The proposed sponsorship sign location must not obstruct these signs, and it is suggested that for consistency and to minimise road safety concerns, these signs should where possible be mounted in line with the existing signs, at a location to the right when viewed from the entry. This ensures that when viewed, the road user is looking towards potentially conflicting circulating traffic coming from the right, rather than looking away from it. 6.3 The highway officer then commented on the individual locations for the signage and highlighted several sites where the number of signs can be reduced and some deleted in order to minimise unnecessary clutter. 6.4 South Yorkshire Police: The consultation response specifically assesses highway safety, and the Traffic officer accepts that the use of this medium has become commonplace in the UK. Some level of control over the number, size, construction and deployment of such signs is, however, necessary. Sign clutter has reached epidemic levels with extraneous signs now detracting from those signs vital to the safety of motorists. It is clear that in drawing up both the sign design and location detail the designer has solely the promotion of the sponsor in mind with little consideration given to road user safety. If these were to be 'road signs', by definition, most of them would be rejected out of hand. Little consideration has been given as to how these will perform in the event of vehicular impact. 6.5 The consultation response urges the designer and the highway authority to take into consideration the weight of research into the effects of roadside furniture in collisions. In the first instance the sign construction is a direct road safety concern. The physical size of the signs presents a danger to anyone coming into contact with them, particularly motorcyclists. 6.6 The height of the signs at many locations restricts drivers’ views of other road users circulating the carriageway. The officer estimated that the upright posts to be approx 150mm square. The potential for serious injury for anyone losing control and colliding with them is significant. Design standards suggest that posts of this diameter should be of a passively safe material when adjacent to high speed roads (50mph and above) unless behind safety fence (crash barrier). There is no detail of the 'set back' distance (min 450mm) from the edge of carriageway; again there is a detailed specification for this to ensure that there is sufficient safety margin. 6.7 The traffic officer has then commented individually on some of the signs, requesting that they be of a passively safe material and in some cases removed from the scheme all together i.e. signs OSR4 & OSR 6 - High level of collisions at this location – Unsuitable location for any non mandatory signage. 6.8 In summary the traffic officer generally considers that the signs are too large a size for most of the locations. On many of them the mandatory signing, chevrons etc preclude the proposals. The highway authority should be aware that in permitting the placing of these signs they could find themselves subject to third party claims from anyone believing the signs to have caused or contributed towards any collision. 6.9 The officer highlights that in the event of a serious incident occurring as a consequence of a road user colliding with these signs, reference will be made to the comments made in respect of the suitability of them, as highlighted in the police consultation response. 6.10 CPRE Campaign to Protect Rural England: Objections were raised, suggesting that the signs would disfigure the urban environment and create distracting and therefore dangerous clutter for drivers.