"INCOME BEFORE PEOPLES LIVES" says KCC

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 21st Oct 2008

"advertising on lamp posts on the main access roads around the edge of our busy town, will further distract drivers when we should be reducing risks not increasing it."

In response to a question raised in Council by Ian Chittenden, Kent County Councillor for Maidstone North East, Kent County Council say that advertising on lamp posts will not distract drivers or cause accidents.

Recently planning permission was given by Maidstone to Kent County Council for advertising on Roundabouts, in spite of officers confirming that risk assessments in relation to Highway safety had not been carried out for individual roundabouts and had only been done on a global basis.

The County Council is now putting advertising onto lamp posts at high level in the main road entries to every major town in Kent.

Ian had asked KCC Cabinet Members for Environment, Highways & Waste "Why at a time when Maidstone has the worst road death and injury record in Kent, and when there is a continuing need to reduce distraction to drivers, is KCC insisting on adding further clutter which can only reduce drivers' attention to the road ahead."

Councillor Ferrin denied there was an increased risk. Ian says "It seems KCC are putting income ahead of peoples lives; advertising on lamp posts on the main access roads around the edge of our busy town, will further distract drivers when we should be reducing risks not increasing it."

Cllr Ian Chittenden's question and answer given to County Council meeting 16 October 2008 regarding advertising onto lamp posts is available at: http://www.kent.libdems.org.uk/pages/County-Council-Questions.html