Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to reduce street clutter.

The Department for Transport (DfT) has always advocated minimising street clutter as it is unsightly, and can cause navigational difficulties for some groups.

Overuse of street furniture can create a cluttered environment, though where it is placed is a matter for local councils. However, the Department has published a range of guidance covering all aspects of street design, which stresses the importance of providing uncluttered environments. These include Inclusive Mobility, Traffic Advisory Leaflet 1/13: Reducing Sign Clutter, and the Manual for Streets.

Traffic signs can also contribute to clutter. In 2016 DfT revised the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions (TSRGD) to give local councils more flexibility in what signs they place and where. The Circular published alongside the TSRGD highlights these changes and makes it clear that the Department expects authorities to make use of these to reduce the amount of clutter on the roads.

Outdoor advertisements, such as ‘A’ boards, are controlled by local planning authorities under the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) (England) Regulations 2007. Placing ‘A’ boards on highways (including footways) where vehicular traffic is prohibited requires express advertisement consent from the local planning authority, and the consent of the relevant highway authority under section 115E of the Highways Act 1980.