Last October the Council had an "A board blitz" to try and tidy up all the street clutter on the Royal Mile. Letters
were hand delivered to all the relevant premises within the designated area
so that dialogue could be entered into with the proprietors, the feedback they
received following the exercise was very positive. Later this year the Council are planning the same exercise in the Tollcross area - read more below for the guidelines.
A-BOARDS ON PUBLIC FOOTWAYS
These guidelines apply to A-boards and similar objects which may be placed on a public highway for the purpose of advertising a business. Goods for sale on the public footway are not permitted. Other decorative objects can only be placed on the footway with the consent of the Council.
Only one A-board is permitted per premises. Board size should not exceed 1.0 metres in height and 0.75 metres in width.
The A-board must be placed directly outside the frontage of the business. Exceptions are closes off the Royal Mile, where a board may be permitted opposite the entrance to the close
A-boards should be placed on the footway adjacent to the kerb and set back 0.45 metres from the kerb. Alternatively, they can be placed at the back of the footway. At least 1.4 metres of footway width must remain clear for pedestrians at all times
If the premises hold a Tables and Chairs Permit, the A-board must be displayed within the area allocated for tables and chairs.
A-boards must be kept clear of service ducts and access chambers. They should be free-standing and not attached to items of street furniture or fixed to the footway
A-boards must be visible to the partially sighted and should not be placed on the footway during darkness or in the event of inclement weather.
In placing an A-board on the footway, Proprietors/Managers indemnify the Council against any claims which may arise in relation to this obstruction
Please note that in all cases priority is given to pedestrians and the Council will use its authority to control obstructions and ensure that pedestrian access is maintained. If premises fail to respond to a request to reposition an A-board, the A-board will be uplifted by the Council and the cost of doing so will be recovered from the business. Also the owner could be foung guilty under the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 (section 59).
