Transerv Crackdown Angers Golspie Businesses

A CRACKDOWN by trunk road operators TranServ on stand-alone pavement signs and other objects placed next to the A9 has angered local business people.

Several shopkeepers in Golspie, whose premises border the trunk road, received official notices this week advising that they were committing an offence under the 1984 Roads Scotland Act and ordered them to remove the offending signs.

Inspectors from TranServ, the company responsible for the managing and maintaining the trunk road, are understood to have taken photographs of the signs during a recent visit to the area.

They followed this up with the formal notices dated 7 October but these were only received by business people this week. TranServ has said the move has been made on safety grounds.

Golspie sub-postmaster Jonathan Creed has been ordered to remove his five sandwich boards from the roadside.

Mr Creed, who has now placed the advertising signs on a strip of ground he owns immediately in front of the Post Office, complained to TranServ area engineer Dave Sellick and was told the directive had come from the Scottish Government.

Mr Creed said: "The rules have apparently been there for a long time, but TranServ have now been instructed to enforce them. At a time when many small businesses are struggling to survive, it appears that the Scottish Government are not wanting to support our small businesses and Post Offices.

"They make the decisions, but then have TranServ to enforce them so that it appears as though they have nothing to do with it."

Mr Creed added: "There is a loose manhole cover on the A9 outside the post office which rattles every time a lorry goes over it. "Surely this is the sort of thing that TranServ should really be addressing."

Mr Creed is also concerned about the implications of the crackdown for organisations such as Golspie Gala Week and Golspie in Bloom.

"I think the ramifications could be quite severe. Golspie Gala Week has a number of placards it puts out and there are some 20 tubs of flowers sited on the pavement throughout the village during the summer. Will they have to be removed?"

Also affected is Craig Mowat who runs Mowat Print and Design on Golspie's Main Street. He has had to remove one stand-alone sign.

Mr Mowat said he had complained to both TranServ area engineer Dave Sellick and area manager Gordon Sinclair to no avail. He has now taken the issue up with East Sutherland and Edderton ward councillor Deirdre Mackay.

Mr Mowat said: "It is only a little sign and it has been outside the shop for three years now and no-one has ever complained.

"It is only there from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday and it isn't as if any elderly or disabled people have to get off the pavement to get round it.

"I can see the point if I had lots of signs taking up the whole pavement, but it is just the one."

Mr Mowat said customers had told him that without the sign they were unsure whether the shop was open.

TranServ customer services manager Cathel Macaskill said an "ongoing review" of signs was being undertaken across the area covered by TranServ.

He said: "The purpose of removing signs is to achieve a network which is safer, less visually cluttered and demonstrates a consistent approach to tourist signing. Some are inappropriately designed, poorly sited and don't follow official guidance. As such these are considered detrimental to road safety and in some instances also cause an obstruction on footpaths.

"While we are asking individuals and establishments to remove these, every assistance will be given to those who wish to apply for brown tourist or other advertising signs."