Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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862. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to review the advertising regulations and permit all bypassed towns off motorways to erect one brown sign detailing all their services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7051/16]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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​While my Department is responsible for general legislation in regard to traffic matters, it has no direct role in relation to the erection of road signage.

However, the recently updated 2010 Traffic Signs Manual, which constitutes a Direction of the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, provides local authorities with detailed guidance regarding the design, application and placement of road signs for use on national, regional and local roads and on motorways in Ireland. Chapter 4 of the Manual provides details regarding the placement of bypassed towns and alternative routes signage.

Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) has overall responsibility for the planning and supervision of works, including signposting, on the national road network including motorways. Sections 3.6 – Local Facilities in Bypassed Towns and Villages and Part 5 – Advertising and Commercial Signage of TII's 'Policy on the Provision of Tourist and Leisure Signage on National Roads'publication, which is available online and from TII, gives detailed guidance in relation to tourist/leisure and advertising/commercial signage.

The Department of Environment, Community and Local Government's 2012 'Spatial Planning and National Roads Guidelines for Planning Authorities' set out what is currently considered to be best practice in relation to the erection of roadside signage, which for road safety and environemntal reasons, includes a requirement to control the proliferation of non-road traffic signage on and adjacent to national roads. TII subscribes to these guidelines.