Planning – Application Comments

Comment Date: Tue 20 Sep 2022

The proposals seek to erect a digital 48 sheet advert on land adjacent to Billacombe Road which will display static digital advertisements on rotation, with each advertisement displayed for a minimum of 10 seconds at a time. The Highway Authority would be unable to support the proposed development due to the impacts on highway safety.

The advert would be located adjacent to a busy, signalised junction interchange of Billacombe Road, Laira Bridge Road and The Ride. Billacombe Road and Laira Bridge Road are both classified A roads and form part of a main arterial route into the city centre and as such, are highly trafficked throughout the day.

Network Management have advised that there have been 2x serious injury collisions within this location in the last 5 year period, one of which involved a collision between a motorist and pedestrian due to failure to acknowledge the signals. Network Management have also subsequently objected in principle to the application due to concerns of highway safety.

The proposed advert faces oncoming traffic travelling from The Ride where vehicles are able to turn right or left through the junction. When turning right onto Laira Bridge Road, vehicles are required to drive through the pedestrian crossing, which also serves as part of a dedicated cycle route. Any increase to the cognitive demand of motorists undertaking this manoeuvre could not only result in vehicle to vehicle conflict, but also vehicle to pedestrian/cyclist conflict. Pedestrians are the most vulnerable road users and as such their safety should be paramount.
Additionally, it is considered that the proposed advert would also lead to driver distraction for those travelling either east or west along Laira Bridge Road/Billacombe Road and could give rise to an increased risk of vehicle to vehicle conflict in the form of rear shunts.

Notwithstanding the suggested controls over advert screen time, transitional periods and lighting levels, it is considered that a digital poster of this type and in this specific location could lead to increased driver distraction whilst negotiating the junction and result in an added risk of both vehicle to vehicle and vehicle to pedestrian conflict. Therefore, the LHA recommend the application be refused due to concerns of highway safety.

Recommendations:

Support
No objection
No objection subject to appropriate mitigation (as identified below)
Object to application X

If 'object' on what grounds?

Reasons for refusal:
By virtue of its design and positioning, the Local Highway Authority consider that the illuminated display will cause distraction to motorists approaching the signalised junction interchange of Billacombe Road, Laira Bridge Road and The Ride which gives rise to concerns of highway safety including:

- an increase in rear shunt type accidents occurring when vehicles negotiate the junction.
- the potential for vehicle to pedestrian conflict due to the close proximity of a heavily used, signalised pedestrian crossing.

The proposal is therefore contrary to Policy DEV29 of the adopted Plymouth and South West Devon Joint Local Plan adopted March 2019.



The proposed development has been considered in accordance with the Councils current Development Plan Policies and having regard for the National Planning Policy Framework.



Abbie Perry

Transport Planning Officer
Officer authorised to sign on behalf of the
Director for Strategic Planning & Infrastructure