Dublin Council to charge for sandwich boards
A report on the licensing of advertising boards on the public footpath/road was made to the Transportation Strategic Policy Committee earlier this month which noted that the Council had engaged with various stakeholders – businesses, business representative organisations and disability groups on the issue.
“Street clutter” in the capital is believed to be behind the move which hopes to cut down on the number of sandwich boards etc populating public footpaths in Dublin city.
In response to queries from Drinks Industry Ireland, DCC stated, “The proliferation of advertising boards was brought into sharp focus by Make Way Day 2018 when it was noted that one of the biggest issues faced by those with disabilities or visual impairment in traversing the city is the proliferation of advertising boards, with resultant access issues especially on streets with heavy pedestrian volumes.
“The report also noted that Section 254 of the Planning & Development Act 2000 provided for a licensing system for such advertising boards. The Committee noted that it is the Council’s intention to introduce such a licensing system within the coming months.”
Licensing conditions will be “stringent with locations and sizes of such advertising boards and minimum clearance distances specified”.
The report also pointed out that the Council had the power to remove unlicensed advertising boards under Section 71 of the Roads Act 1993.
And Dublin City Council confirmed that it proposes to charge users an annual fee of €630 for a licence for a sandwich board, otherwise known as an A-board under the planning regulations and according to the Examiner, senior Council official Kevin Meade said that a one-off application fee of €100 would apply too.
He told the meeting of the Committee that he believed the cost would act “as a deterrent” to the use of sandwich boards stated the Examiner.
However Licensed Vintners Association Chief Executive Donall O’Keeffe denies that the Council consulted with Dublin publicans.
“The Council did not consult with the LVA on this issue,” he told Drinks Industry Ireland, “It’s clear there needs to be an appropriate balance struck between access on footpaths and the needs of businesses to promote themselves. We believe the proposed costs are completely unreasonable and disproportionate.”
