Road safety fears at Hoole bridge over giant ad screen plan

Road safety concerns are being raised about plans for a pair of giant LED advertising screens facing the traffic in both directions on Chester’s Hoole bridge.

Alight Media has applied for consent to display an advertisement in the form of two screens each measuring six metres in width and three metres in height.

Each digital display is elevated on an eight-metre tall steel monopole located on land at the Royal Mail depot.

Operated remotely, the screens would feature static illuminated advertising that would change every 10 seconds with no movement, animation or special effects. In terms of brightness, the screens would comply with best practice guidance.

But a post on the Make Hoole Bridge Safe Facebook page makes clear there are concerns the digital ads would create an extra hazard at a location already notorious as being hairy for pedestrians and cyclists.

It reads: “We have been informed there is a planning application in for a digital advertising board 20ft by 10ft on the post office side of the bridge. We are concerned that adding additional advert boards that rotate images every 10 seconds are a risk to public safety.

“We want Hoole bridge to be safer and feel safer for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers alike. We think that these boards will not make the bridge safer but create a greater risk of accidents.

“We have spoken to the Hoole councillors and asked them to call it into a planning meeting and object. But the more public objections it gets the better.”

A letter supporting the proposal from the applicant states: “The illuminated digital displays would face towards traffic travelling each way along the A56, Hoole Way. The highway is commercial in character and well-lit, providing excellent forward visibility on approach to the site, allowing drivers to glance at any advert far in advance without being distracted from the road ahead.

“Under these circumstances such a familiar urban feature would not constitute a potentially hazardous distraction to anyone exercising a reasonable standard of care.

“Consequently, it is considered that the proposed advertisements would not unduly distract highway users and give rise to safety issues.”

There are presently no advertising displays at this location.