Obstructing the footway is an offence [Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 Section 59]
Highland Council may permit some exceptions.
Highland Council Application Forms to Occupy the Road with:
-
an Advertising_Sign - [pdf]
-
a Market or Stall - [pdf]
-
a Street Cafe - [pdf]
The accompanying notes are increasingly vague.
A minimum width of clear footway apprears to be 1.8m.
Premises should have only one sign.
- Some have three or more.
The sign should be placed at the rear of the footway (adjacent to the building line).
- This rules out being placed over bollards.
Council sets out policies on advertising signs. - 15 Aug 2013 - [highland.gov.uk]
Blind campaigner from Easter Ross urges Highland Council to follow City of Edinburgh Council's lead by banning pavement advertising signs in the Highlands; Sight Action member's call is echoed by RNIB Scotland - 05 Jan 2020 - [ross-shirejournal.co.uk]
Checklist_for__Advertisement_Consent_Final_Feb_2021 - [pdf]
Guide_for_businesses___Phase_2___V1_22_06_20 - [pdf]
Shopfront Design Guide FINAL - [pdf]
Page 21
Freestanding signs such as A-Boards are often unnecessary, can lead to street clutter
and create obstacles for the visually impaired and those with mobility problems.
Council policy requires businesses to apply for permission to display A-Boards and, if approved,
comply with requirements laid out in the guidelines attached to the relevant application form.
Council Roads Inspectors are responsible for enforcing this policy.
Where such signs are to be used they should be limited to:
i. one sign per business
ii. approx. 1m high and 0.75m wide and able to resist being blown over
iii. sited immediately outside the business being advertised
and only where the width of the footpath allows
iv. only be displayed during the opening hours of the business
Roads for All - Good Practice Guide for Roads - July 2013 - [pdf]
Page 44 - 5.3 Operational Issues
email sent W 09 Mar 2022
To: Inverness City Manager
CC: Head of Roads