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Safety fears over 'massive screen' on roundabout

BBC A man wearing black rimmed glasses and a dark blue jacket with a grey jumper stands in front of a roundabout where a 17ft high LED display has been installed. A branch of KFC can be seen in the distance.BBC
Councillor Paul Edgeworth said the screen could be distracting to drivers

A digital advertising display which appeared on a roundabout overnight could be "distracting" and cause an accident, a councillor fears.

The 17ft (5.2m) high billboard was installed on the A183 Chester Road between the Hastings Hill Pub and Pennywell Industrial Estate in Sunderland.

Paul Edgeworth, leader of Wearside Liberal Democrats, claimed the Labour-run city council also failed to inform councillors due to an "administrative error".

Sunderland City Council said there were "similar screens in other parts of the region" and "approval conditions include a road traffic safety review".

The Smart Media Group, responsible for the screen, said all "proper procedures were followed" and the firm had "built in measures to consider safety".

The screen, which is not yet operational, is located off a slip road for the A19 near where the speed limit drops from 70mph to 30mph.

Some residents fear it will distract drivers who will see it in front of them as they approach the roundabout.

A road with a grass verge to the left leads to a roundabout where a large black LED display has been installed.
The display, which has been described as resembling a large television, faces traffic travelling towards the city

Former councillor Lynn Appleby, who lives in Hastings Hill, said: "People are already coming off too fast from the A19.

"When you go past the roundabout it's a 30, there's not many signs to say it's 30mph, but you aren't going to see the signs that are there.

"What you're going to see are bright lights with advertising distracting you."

Lynn Appleby standing in front of the sign on the roundabout. She has spiky grey hair and is wearing a beige faux fur jacket.
Lynn Appleby fears the sign will be distracting

However, one resident said they did not believe it would be a distraction as drivers "should have their eyes on the road".

There have been several crashes on the stretch of road, between the A19 and the roundabout in recent years - in the direction of where the screen is now installed - but the majority have been minor, according to Department for Transport figures.

'Monstrosity'

The plans were approved last year, but Edgeworth said everybody was taken by surprise, including ward councillors who were not informed of the plans.

He said: "Residents have woken up to this horrible massive TV screen on a roundabout overnight, and nobody knew anything about it.

"The council didn't have the decency to inform anyone, to inform the councillors, to consult the residents and people are up in arms about this monstrosity."

Sunderland City Council has not commented on what, if any, information was given to ward councillors.

Mark Catterall, chief executive officer of the Smart Media Group, said the screen had been developed "in partnership" with the council, and all "proper procedures were followed".

He said all recent road traffic accidents were "considered" during planning but the firm would conduct yearly "road safety audits".

He said it had "built-in" safety measures which included automatic brightness control and only showing "static adverts".

"Across the industry we have not seen any evidence of an increase in accidents due to the development of these sites."

Sunderland City Council added it would "continue to monitor road safety across all our city".

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