MESSAGE FROM BRUFF TIDY TOWNS Tidy Towns groups work all the year round to make sure that our towns and villages are presented to the highest standard. Then the election posters go up and spoil the whole appearance of the place - for no good reason as there are so many other ways to achieve the same result nowadays. Not only are they unsightly, they are unsafe. Our experience is that they • obstruct the motorist’s view when pulling out on to a road, • are a distraction when you are just driving or trying to read directional signs, • can be very dangerous when they come away from poles on to the road or a person’s windscreen • if the lowest ones are mounted less than three feet from the ground, they impede local residents from parking their cars properly • tiebacks are very seldom taken down • they are costly. If we estimate that 100 signs are put up per candidate, the cost would be €1200 each. Why not give this sum to Tidy Towns and make a positive impact instead of spoiling the appearance of the town • The ESB Network is constantly warning against the placing of any posters on electricity poles/structures. Any unauthorised contact or near contact with the electricity networks can result in serious injury or even death. Anyone attempting to place a poster on an electricity pole/structure is at risk of contact with live electricity which can be fatal. Similar risks apply when posters are being removed. ESB Networks has previously experienced incidents where election posters have caught fire following contact with the electricity network resulting in loss of supply to customers and damaged infrastructure. Bruff Tidy Towns is now calling for a ban on election posters between the 60 km speed limits to be extended to all towns in Limerick following the success of a similar measure in Newcastle West during the Presidential campaign. There are a thousand-and-one other ways to engage with voters. Why not copy the Swiss system that has one designated noticeboard, supplied and maintained by the council, displaying photos of all those going up for election. This would be • more democratic, • reduce campaign costs • be more environmentally friendly Accordingly, we would urge all political parties as well as independents to make a voluntary agreement to keep our town(s) poster free in the future.
Posted on: Wed, 19 Mar 2014 22:27:10 +0000
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