Overview

This bill mandates that highway and local planning authorities in England consider the promotion of tourism when making decisions about road signage and planning permissions for tourist-related signs. The aim is to improve tourism by ensuring better and more appropriate signage.

Description

This bill introduces two key duties:

• Duty of Highway Authorities: Highway authorities (defined by the Road Traffic Act 1988) must consider the promotion of tourism when deciding on road sign content and placement.
• Duty of Local Planning Authorities: Local planning authorities (defined by the Town and Country Planning Act 1990) must consider tourism's contribution to the local economy when reviewing applications for signs related to local tourist destinations and facilities.

The bill applies only to England.

Government Spending

The bill doesn't directly allocate funds. The cost of implementing the new duties will likely fall upon existing budgets of highway and local planning authorities. No specific figures are provided in the bill text.

Groups Affected

• Highway Authorities: Will need to adjust their processes to incorporate tourism promotion considerations into road signage decisions. This may involve additional time and resources.
• Local Planning Authorities: Will need to consider the economic impact of tourism when processing sign applications, potentially leading to changes in approval processes.
• Tourism Businesses: May benefit from improved signage, leading to increased visibility and potentially higher visitor numbers.
• Residents: May experience both positive and negative impacts, depending on the effect of the new signage on traffic, local aesthetics, and economic activity.

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