DRIVERS are about to see far more advertising boards around the city, despite concerns they could be distracted.

Councillors approved more advertising boards at 22 roundabouts around the city - including at junctions previously not used - at the latest meeting of Worcester City Council's planning committee.

Each of the signs are around 1.2m wide, 500mm high, placed on 300mm high posts, with some of the locations even seeing four of the boards dotted around islands.

During councillors discussions at the committee's Guildhall meeting on Thursday, (December 16) Councillor Marjory Bisset said: "I think it would be better if we didn't have any boardings on any roundabouts.

"If transport experts are saying its safe then it means it is not a distraction - but if it is not a distraction it is not doing its job as advertising.

"Advertisement might distract motorists, leading to more accidents with cyclists."

Councillor Jo Hodges said it was a source of income for the authority, and without the advertising "where would the money come from otherwise?"

Councillor Jenny Barnes said: "There may be a marginal income, but I tend to agree it is clutter."

Councillor Andy Roberts said he had heard of no evidence of drivers being distracted by an advertisement at a roundabout, which county highways confirmed.

"If it helps to keep council tax bills to a minimum I support it," he added.

Councillor Bill Amos, who said he was generally against them, said: "The should be as plain as possible if you have to have them."

New signs were given the green light at roundabouts in:

  • Trotshill Way/Plantation Drive
  • Monarch Drive
  • Plantation Drive
  • Newtown Road/Charles Hastings Way
  • Parsonage Way
  • Woodgreen Drive/Berkeley Way
  • Broomhall Way/Worcester Road
  • New Road/Bromwich Road
  • A38 City Walls Road/St Martin's Gate
  • Bath Road/St Peter's Drive
  • Claines Lane/Ombersley Road
  • London Road/Spetchley Road
  • Grange Way/Dugdale Drive
  • St Peter's Drive/Queenswood Drive
  • Wainwright Road/Bridgwater Road
  • George Street/Pheasant Street
  • Hasting Drive and Woodgreen Drive
  • Woodgreen Drive/Snowberry Avenue/Mill Wood Drive
  • Wainwright Road
  • Dugdale Drive
  • Middle Hollow Drive/Woodgreen Drive
  • Blackpole Road/Windermere Drive

Meanwhile five others were refused on the grounds of safety concerns due to traffic.

Those were:

  • Malvern Road/Canada Way
  • Claines Lane/Ombersley Road
  • St Peter's Drive/Broomhall Road
  • Swinesherd Way
  • Nunnery Way/Newtown Road