'I'll bin billboards in Bristol' says green mayor candidate Daniella Radice
Green party mayoral candidate Daniella Radice has vowed to tackle the spread of billboards in Bristol if she is elected next month.
Envisaging a city where “we are not being told we should have a bigger car or a nicer coat and that will make us happier,” Ms Radice said she will drastically reduce street advertising, focusing in particular on large posters such as billboards.
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Daniella Radice has vowed to tackle the spread of billboards in the city if she is elected in November
Discussing the concept with This is Bristol, Ms Radice said: “It’s all about freeing the visual space in Bristol. We don’t realise how much we are affected by our day-to-day environment.
“I want this to be a place where who you are is more important than what you have. It’s quite a big idea and it’s one of the ways of expressing that.”
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The environmental specialist said she hoped a reduction in billboards would also encourage people to shop locally. “It’s great to be able to shop in places like Gloucester Road,” she said.
“Only big companies can afford to have billboards. If we don’t have that information [about big brand companies] we are more likely to go to these local shops,” she added.
Ms Radice said she would target large “visual billboards” as opposed to smaller adverts at, say, bus stops.
She heaped praised on the Stokes Croft junction with City Road, where an empty space has been filled with a “beautiful mural”.
“I walk past it and I think how nice it is,” she said.
A citizen's petition on billboards was launched in March this year as part of a campaign called “Bristol: the City that said no to Advertising.”
Calling for the removal of advertising in public spaces, the petition has so far attracted 742 online signatures.
Ruth Potts, an academic and a campaigner for the New Economics Foundation, supports the Green candidate’s pledge, pointing out that many world-class cities, including Toronto, Paris and Sao Paolo have successfully banned or limited billboards:
She said: “Making Bristol the first UK city to say no to advertising would set it at the heart of a growing movement of forward-thinking cities that are sweeping away visual pollution and reclaiming public spaces as places to dream, play and build a more vibrant world."
However, the Outdoor Media Centre (OMC), a trade and marketing body which represents the interests of the outdoor advertising industry, explained the number of large adverts such as billboards has in fact fallen over the past five years, from around 35,000 to less than 25,000.
“Nowadays companies are more interested in investing heavily in billboards that look good,” a spokesperson said. “In the case of Bristol they’d rather have one central advert than five in say, St Paul’s. It’s quality, not quantity. It’s more targeted.”
The spokesperson added: “We support outdoor advertising therefore we want to preserve it, but actually so do most of the UK public.
“Not all outdoor advertising is beautiful, there are some that need to be cleaned up, but over the years the outdoor adverts we see on the streets these days are a lot more attractive than previously.
“The companies that are selling it and maintaining it care a lot about what people think.”
He added: “We are respected and liked by the public and we subsidise a lot of public services – for example, adverts at bus stops help keep bus fares low.
“There is a decent amount of public utility involved in outdoor advertising, and for the most part people see it not as a necessary evil but as a positive thing”.
Asked how practical her plan is, mayoral candidate Ms Radice said: “I think it’s feasible because it’s about changing the planning laws” so big companies no longer own the billboard space.
Asked where the plan fits in with her list of priorities, Ms Radice said: “Transport would be my first priority. I imagine this plan would take a little time.”
Comments
by AssH4t
Sunday, October 14 2012, 4:59PM
“People who want any form of advertising banned are just communists, and should be treated as such with shunning. If I could attach little trailing flyers on the back of Bristol's flying rats I would do so, advertising such things as male virility enhancements and panty liners......The hippys will not be receiving my vote!”
by FromMendip
Friday, October 12 2012, 10:07PM
“Does she think she is a candidate to become mayor of Bristol, Tennessee?
In the UK it's advertising hoardings. Billboard is yet another Americanism. Why are so many people in the UK so in awe of the USA that they have to slavishly use American terms all the time?”
by bristolreded
Friday, October 12 2012, 10:05PM
“We need more billboards not less, they bring in much needed money for the council and jobs. Less billboards mean more poverty, more debt, more taxes and less public services.”
by SlotBoy
Friday, October 12 2012, 6:23PM
“re; green_man
My Mayoral website is now live. Hopefully you will find my manifesto to be most excellent.
http://tinyurl.com/94dd6pf
Rich Fisher - Independent Now firmly nominated and £500 poorer.”
by pillowfight
Friday, October 12 2012, 4:18PM
“She has just lost my vote. You can't beat a good 'wonderbra' bill board.”
by corruptbstard
Friday, October 12 2012, 1:56PM
“Well said slot boy well said Danniela.
Serious candidates? There's only 3 so far.
Daniella, Rich......and Me
http://tinyurl.com/7uzu93l”
by green_man
Friday, October 12 2012, 1:45PM
“@PJB_1972 - "A little word of advice to candidates for the role of mayor...now is not the time to be flapping your lips about completely irrelevant pet hates. Now is the time to tell us how you intend to tackle the big serious issues which will affect everyone who lives here. Most people couldn't care less about billboards but would quite like to know what you intend to do about transport for example. Or how you will balance the books with the budget being cut.
____________________________________
Hang on. To be fair to Green candidate Daniella Radice she has published and launched a full and detailed manifesto covering key issues. She looks to have given more specific detail than anyone else to me.
Full version of the manifesto is here: http://tinyurl.com/9vrjh77 .
Summary version is of the manifesto is here:
http://tinyurl.com/96owoqs .
I know the Greens sent out details of their manifesto to the press but I dont recall the Post reporting on it at all. If the Post did not report it then they have not played their proper part in giving the fullest information they can to the public on an important election.”
by rocketbob
Friday, October 12 2012, 11:58AM
“i agree with PJB many of the ideas such as Billboads etc seem reasonable.
But where are the large strategies to return Bristol to a thriving City with full employment, modern transport systems and iconic buildings. Or does the Mayor pick and choose from the policies of the three main Parties who have been deadlocked and bereft on major developments for years?
Perhaps afternoon tea with the new Police Commissioner would help.They have so much in common.All the candidates for both positions do not appear to have the leaderhip qualities to carry the City, Politicians, Council and Police with them. Especially if the inevitable further cuts in the Public Sector are demanded by Central Government.”
by andyyandyy
Friday, October 12 2012, 11:37AM
“I dont agree about only the big companies use billboards and that we would use local shops if they didnt use them. Has the ban on advertising stopped people buying cigarettes or what about fast food, since stopping adverts on TV do people now not go to those places.
The issue is dont the council get money from the companies that use the billboards so if that is the case the council would then need to find money elsewhere to cover the cost.
So far every candidate just speaks about spending more money without stating how they are going to balance the books if they spend the money. and... I am fed up of them using the word afforable as what is affordable to one person isnt affordable to another.”
by PJB_1972
Friday, October 12 2012, 10:56AM
“A little word of advice to candidates for the role of mayor...now is not the time to be flapping your lips about completely irrelevant pet hates. Now is the time to tell us how you intend to tackle the big serious issues which will affect everyone who lives here. Most people couldn't care less about billboards but would quite like to know what you intend to do about transport for example. Or how you will balance the books with the budget being cut.
There aren't too many serious contenders so far.”