With the tourist season upon us and in an effort to support the community clean-ups that have taken place across Donegal over the last number of months, the council has launched a campaign that will see the removal of illegal signs along public roads.
The Council’s Director of Roads & Transportation, John McLaughlin, said they are keen to support community efforts to clean up local areas.
“The issue of illegal signage particularly along public roads including approach roads in our towns and villages has been highlighted by various Tidy Town Committees and community groups. These signs are both unsightly and hazardous for road users and often clutter up both the roads and the footpaths,” added Mr. McLaughlin.
Advertisement signs along a public road requires the approval of the Council in the form of a licence or planning permission and further information on how to apply is available on the here.
Examples of illegal signs includes small advertisement signs normally tied or nailed to existing signs or poles; finger post B&B signs, sandwich board advertisement signs, large billboard signs, large signs mounted on trailers or vans as well as vehicles being advertised for sale along public roads.
Temporary signs for non-commercial local events are permissible subject to certain restrictions and provided they do not impact on road safety. Similar signs for local commercial events can also be permissible subject to restrictions on size, timing, location, etc.
Part 2 of Schedule 2 of the Planning and Development Regulations sets out full details of exemptions for advertisements and this information is also available here.
In the coming weeks, the Council will be arranging for the removal and storage of unauthorised or illegal signage and signs will be stored for a period of one month after the date the owner has been notified or six weeks from the time the sign is removed, whichever is longer.
Where possible, owners will be notified and will be given one month to retrieve their sign and if not collected after that time the signs will be disposed of.
The Council will require the person recovering the sign to make a written declaration stating that they are the owner of the sign or they are there on the authority of the owner.
In addition the Council will require the person recovering the sign to pay the cost of the removal and storage before being able to recover it.
The Council is urging any owners of illegal or unauthorised signs along public roads to remove them as soon as possible.