A Mosman councillor’s idea to rid local bus shelters of advertising fails to win support

A MOSMAN councillor says the council should ban advertising on bus shelters away from Military and Spit roads because it destroys the character of local neighbourhoods.

Cr Simon Menzies at an Avenue Rd bus shelter. Picture: Adam Ward

MOSMAN Council once declared a “war against signage”, but one councillor’s idea to remove unsightly advertising from some Mosman bus shelters has failed to win support.

The council cracked down on “visual pollution” in 2014 and began to remove unnecessary signs, including road signs.

Cr Simon Menzies believes that bus shelter advertising away from major commuter routes is just as ugly and ruins the character of residential streets.

He raised the idea during last month’s council meeting when the council decided to call for public tenders for the re-use or replacement and maintenance of 22 bus shelters, including 18 with commercial advertising.

Cr Menzies’ idea did not receive support in the meeting.

Adshel’s 15-year bus shelter contract expires on August 31. The council manages the contract while Adshel owns and maintains the bus shelters.

Adshel has the right to have commercial advertising in the shelters which are approved for advertising.

The company is also required to pay the council a confidential sum annually for that right.

An artist’s impression of when “super signage” was proposed for the Bridgepoint pedestrian bridge, back when iPods were a thing. Picture: Supplied

The council might decide to buy the bus shelters at the end of the contract for $1 each, depending on the new tenders it receives.

The council would then be required to maintain and repair the bus shelters if it bought them.

Cr Menzies said the council should adopt an “only on Military/Spit roads” policy and close the door on future commercialisation of Mosman’s residential neighbourhoods.

“The relative dip in revenue is a pittance compared to the small fortune council makes off advertising on the Bridgepoint pedestrian bridge and bus shelters along Military and Spit roads,” he said.

“It’s hypocritical of the council to be in love with advertising while at war with street signs. It’s only fair that the council takes a consistent approach and preserves local character across all of our villages.”

Then Adshel chief executive Steve McCarthy, Mosman general manager Viv May, Adshel commercial director Peter Glavincevski and Mosman mayor David Strange, photographed in 2003 when the bus shelter advertising deal was made. Picture: Supplied

The council could not disclose how much money it receives from Adshel because it is privileged information.

The council’s report on the issue, however, states that the advertising provides the council with a “significant revenue stream”.

Also significant is the council’s lucrative voluntary planning agreement with oOh!media for advertising on the Bridgepoint pedestrian bridge.

The council entered into the agreement in May 2012 and expects to receive more than $8 million from the 15-year agreement.

SHARK SURVIVOR

In addition, the council will lodge a development application to enable a commercial advertising panel to be installed in a new or relocated bus shelter to be built as part of planned works on the eastern side of Spit Rd at The Spit.

The bus stop has no shelter. The council received feedback that a shelter was necessary.

There is a bus shelter opposite the proposed location with advertising on it.