Fly posting is a crime. It is mostly carried out by people who are either unaware of the law. Or by those who are seeking a way to avoid the cost of advertising.
Unlawful advertisements can come in many forms and the main one of these is fly posters. It can also include other forms such as -
- stickers
- signs
- banners
- billboards
- mobile trailers
Advertisements such as fly posters are often displayed without the consent of the owner or occupier of the land.
Examples of locations they are often seen include -
- public highway including pavements and grass verges
- public open spaces
- street furniture for example -
- lamp posts
- street litter bins
- traffic lights
- directional and road traffic signs
- pedestrian barriers
- on private property land without the permission of the owner
Problems caused by unlawful advertisements
Unlawful advertisements such as fly posters are usually displayed at locations where they can be seen by the widest audience. This is more often on the highway or public land, which because of their location can –
- cause a nuisance
- a hazard or obstruction to highway users for example -
- pedestrians and especially those who may use wheelchair
- have visual impairments
- those with prams and pushchairs
- damage the highway, including street furniture
- pose risks to road safety
- undermine legitimate advertisers
- degrade local street scene
- block access for street cleaning
- imposes unnecessary costs on us to remove