Tallinn is considering banning illuminated advertisements on the sides of streets, as they can distract drivers and increase the risk of accidents. However, advertising companies argue that the increase in road accidents in recent years matches the increase in the number of cars and that the proposed changes are excessive, on Wednesday, the 11th of December, reports Estonian media ERR.
The Estonian capital also has the highest number of illuminated advertisements on its streets compared to many other Nordic cities.
The ban would apply to both small illuminated advertisements at street level and larger LED displays placed higher up that can dazzle or distract drivers.
“I think everyone has experienced a situation where the visibility is obstructed by an LED screen when a pedestrian crosses the road,” said Indrek Gailan, head of Tallinn’s transport department, speaking to Aktualnee Kamera.
“We see a problem in such cases because it is dangerous from a road safety point of view. Such cases need to be more carefully reviewed and regulated,” he said.
One of the proposals under discussion is to ban LED lighting within 12 metres of the roadside, which would mean removing many existing advertising displays such as fuel station signs and company logos.
Mihkel Luks, CEO of D Screens Estonia, called the proposed ban on LED lighting an overreaction.
He said that statistics for the last ten years do not show that “the number of traffic accidents has risen more than the total number of cars on Tallinn’s streets”. Luks also warned that the change could lead to 95% of advertising displays in Tallinn being removed.
On the other hand, Siim Tanel Tõnisson, vice-president of the Estonian Association of Architects, argued that limiting street advertising could improve the design of the city.
He said that “street advertising reflects the commercialisation of the city” and emphasised that “as a public space, urban space must first and foremost be free so that consumerism does not force itself too strongly”.
The next step is to receive feedback from businesses and other stakeholders in the next few weeks before moving forward with any new regulations.