Firm Fined £2,000 For Illegal Adverts For Beverley Christmas Event

A company has been fined £2,000 for illegally placing a number of signs on the roadside advertising a Christmas event in Beverley.

Cottage Industrys Ltd of Tokenspire Business Park, Woodmansey, represented by its director Paul Leonard, admitted placing 38 signs on the sides of major roads, junctions and roundabouts to promote a Mistletoe Fair at Beverley Racecourse, held last November.

It is the second time in a year the firm has been prosecuted for fly-posting to promote the Mistletoe Fair.

At Beverley Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday 30 January, Cottage Industrys Ltd pleaded guilty to displaying advertising signs on the highway without the permission of the highway authority, East Riding of Yorkshire Council.

The firm was fined £2,000 and was ordered to pay £590 costs and a victim surcharge of £170.
The court heard that streetscene enforcement officers from East Riding of Yorkshire Council spotted a significant number of large advertising boards on the side of various East Riding roads on 22 October last year.

A few days later Officers removed 38 of the signs from locations including Walkington, Skidby, Tickton, Routh, Bishop Burton, Lund, Kilnwick, Market Weighton and along parts of the A1079.

In February last year, Cottage Industrys Ltd was fined £1,000 and ordered to pay £763.50 costs after it erected a number of illegal roadside signs to promote the previous year’s Mistletoe Fair.

East Riding of Yorkshire Council wants to remind businesses and residents that placing a sign on highways land without the council’s permission is a criminal offence under the Highways Act 1980.
Unauthorised advertising next to roads can be an obstruction, nuisance or danger to motorists, and may even contribute to road accidents due to distraction.

The council can issue a £150 fixed penalty notice for each illegal sign or poster.

If a case is heard in court anyone found guilty of fly-posting could be fined up to £2,500.
The council may also remove all signs and the costs can be recovered from the person responsible.

Paul Tripp, head of streetscene services at East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said:

“We will act to investigate any signs put up on the highway without permission as they could be a hazard to motorists.”

Advertising signs can be placed on private land with the agreement of the landowner but may be subject to planning restrictions. Advice can be given by the council’s planning department.