Bristol residents call for removal of giant advertising screens

Adblock Bristol are concerned about the impact of corporate advertising on health, environment, climate, communities and the local economy

More than 1,600 Bristol residents have signed a petition calling on the mayor Marvin Rees to remove two giant advertising screens.

It will be presented to a city council meeting on Tuesday, alongside statements from people about how the screens impact their lives.

The residents say the billboards, close to the M32, distract drivers, cause light pollution and disturb wildlife.

Bristol City Council declined to comment ahead of the meeting.

But a spokesperson added: "Planning enforcement matters are not for the mayor to decide on and will be decided by the council's development control committee".

More than 1,600 people have signed a petition to have the signs removed

One of the statements, submitted by local resident David Harper, said: "Anyone who thinks these giant screens should remain can't have the misfortune of living near them.

"They blight the view from my home, their light pollution is excessive. Their scale and visual intrusion violates the integrity of what is primarily a residential area."

Easton resident Polly Whight also submitted a statement: "Prior to the screen I could see trees around the motorway which somewhat helped lessen the view of the road. Now these trees are completely taken over by the view of the digital screen.

"You would not see these types of screens in wealthier neighbourhoods like Clifton, yet they are inflicted on less well-off areas such as ours."

Campaign group Adblock Bristol is appealing to the mayor and council to take action

From this winter, planning consent for the M32 billboards will lapse from "express" to "deemed" consent.

From this stage, Bristol City Council will be able to remove the screens by issuing a discontinuance notice, if it considers the screens to have harmed the amenity of the locality or caused a danger to members of the public.

If the council does not take proactive action to remove the screens, they will remain.

Campaign group Adblock Bristol is appealing to the mayor and council to take action.

Adblock Bristol want the mayor and Bristol City Council to take action to remove the billboards

Veronica Wignall, who is submitting the petition to the council on behalf of the group, said: "These giant ad screens have been tried and tested, and it is now clear that they have real-world consequences for the people who actually live near them, damaging residents' quality of life on an everyday basis.

She said she wanted Mr Rees to take action to show "Bristol's communities are more important than corporate profit".