Roads: Illegal Motorway Advertisements

Lord Forsyth of Drumlean Excerpts

Wednesday 21st July 2010 Lords Chamber

[Earl Attlee]

My Lords, the noble Lady makes an important point but we are talking about advertisements on the strategic route network.

[Lord Forsyth of Drumlean]

My Lords, following the point made by the noble Lady, and given that motorways are covered in signs saying things like “Check your fuel”—put there at great expense—what on earth is the harm in small businesses being able to put advertisements for their products in fields on the sides of lorries? Surely at a time of recession, with a Government committed to encouraging free enterprise and reducing regulation, this cannot be a priority?

[Earl Attlee]

My Lords, I thought someone would make this point. It is because of our comprehensive regulations that we do not have the situation seen in overseas countries, where roads are littered with advertisements. We have an effective system.