BLIND and partially sighted students in Worcester have thrown their support behind plans to crackdown on the use of A-boards in the city centre.
Bosses at Worcester City Council are considering introducing new rules which could reduce the risk of the advertising displays becoming a “hazard” to shoppers.
A series of complaints have been made about the position and appearance of the A-boards despite a leaflet being sent out which sets out guidelines traders were expected to adhere to.
This has led council chiefs to launch a rebuffed plan which could see business owners face fines or even court action if they fail to comply with the rules.
Members of the city council’s planning committee will be asked today (Wednesday) to support the proposal, which has already received the backing of Sarah Williams, head of mobility at New College Worcester for blind and partially sighted children.
“A-boards cause an obstruction for students, making travel hazardous for them throughout the city,” she said. “Some of the A-boards are quite unstable and have the potential to cause injury to students.
“In addition, they are often placed in an obstructive position without space either side to navigate safely. For our students this may mean they have to divert from their familiar path of travel and they can get disorientated.
“Because the position of A-boards can vary from day to day, this can cause considerable confusion for our students.”
Coun Marc Bayliss, cabinet member for Economic Prosperity, said he also hoped councillors would approve to the move which could be introduced in April.
“There are more than 160 A-boards in the city centre alone,” he said. “They are an important form of advertising for Worcester businesses and most use them responsibly, but some A-boards present a serious hazard to pedestrians, particularly those with disabilities or sight problems.
“Until now we have not used the powers available to us to clamp down on the misuse of A-boards and other street advertising, but I am hoping the planning committee will agree to take this action to ensure Worcester is a better and more attractive place to shop.
“This is a common sense approach and one that strikes a sensible balance between a blanket ban on A-boards and an expensive licensing scheme.”
Council leaders have also agreed to contact all city businesses to make them aware of the A-board rules and the potential for enforcement action.
