Council gets tough on ‘trailer trash’ signs

Oldham is taking a tough line with illegal, trailer- mounted adverts that appear alongside roads.

The initiative has been brought in to improve road safety and quickly deal with the eyesores, which have grown in number over recent months.

As part of a new approach by the council, those responsible for the trailers will be prosecuted and any left on the highway will also be seized.

Large “cancelled” notices will also be applied to the adverts immediately they appear.

Councillor Mark Alcock, cabinet fember for environment, said, “ This is a growing national problem.

“We have decided to take a co-ordinated and tough approach in Oldham to improve the environment and avoid road safety problems like driver distraction, obscured visibility at junctions and bends or even, sometimes, obstruction of the highway.

“We are already seeing results with most of these trailers having been removed and those that are left being in the process of being seized or subject to prosecution.”

The co-ordinated approach makes maximum use of the council’s planning and highways powers.