Seafront blitz sees pavement cleared of A-boards
BUSINESSES ALONG one of Yorkshire’s busiest seaside thoroughfares have been praised for responding to a blitz on obstructive advertising boards.
Traders on Scarborough seafront were ordered to remove ‘Aboards’ from the pavement last week following a summertime spike in complaints from pedestrians.
Action had been urged by North Yorkshire County Council whose highways officers have the power to remove the boards, and by the end of the week, every trader approached by the council about the issue had taken their boards off the street.
County councillor Don Mackenzie, the council’s executive member for access, said: “I’m pleased to see traders taking this responsible approach. We much prefer to work with traders on this issue.”
He said the council was mindful of the need to support businesses but that it also has to act in the interests of pedestrians, including people who find a cluttered street scene particularly difficult to manoeuvre along.
“Scarborough is a premier resort and we want its businesses to flourish,” he said.
“The aim is to maintain access for the public to enhance the town’s prosperity.”
The councillor added: “Footpaths cluttered with obstacles like ‘A’ boards are not attractive to shoppers, who prefer to move around the town centre streets without barriers.
“We want to ensure easy access for all visitors, including, for example, people with mobility or sight issues or families with young children.”
County councillor Janet Jefferson, who is a local business owner, added: “Both traders and the council have the town’s economic prosperity at heart and by clearing away some of this clutter on the seafront we’ll give shoppers a better experience.”