A new campaign group has objected to plans for a new digital ad screen in Chadderton on public safety grounds.

Adblock Manchester says the displays are "much more dangerous to road users than traditional ones", with numerous crashes reported in the area of the planned screen in recent years.

The crusade against plans to replace the advertising billboard with an LED screen is the group’s first campaign since launching.

The screen, located at 150 Broadway, Chadderton, would be the same size as the current paper billboard: 18 square metres (193 square feet).  

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Wildstone Estates, which has submitted plans to put up the screen, says outdoor advertising attracts ‘new investment and innovation’, with the proposed ‘D-Poster’ panel being a "high-quality ultra-thin display that offers a high level of control over brightness and reduced energy consumption".

The company says the screen will be able to "mimic a traditional 48 sheet poster during the day and ensure that it is muted and at a suitable contrast to the ambient light at night time", and touts reduced waste from poster production, and increased ability to broadcast emergency messaging as advantages of the signs.

However, Adblock Manchester is encouraging residents to object to the plans, and encouraged residents to use quotes from a document citing academic research on road safety around the screens, with drivers said to be more distracted by the digital billboards.

The environmental impact of the screens has also come under scrutiny.

In 2022, The Guardian newspaper published findings showing that smaller electronic ad boards placed on pavements in the city were using the same electricity as three average households.

Adfree Cities says larger boards can use the same electricity as 11 average households.

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An Adblock Manchester campaigner said: “Not only do large digital road-side displays provide additional distractions to drivers, but they also contribute to a wider problem of increasing advertising in public spaces.

“It’s vital that we object to digital billboards on grounds of public safety, and that we subsequently challenge policy to make this change sustainable. Let's prioritise our well-being over profits.”

An Oldham Council spokesperson said: “Unfortunately, we will not be able to make a comment on a live application.”

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