New limits on roadside advertising

From Friday 13 September 2024, new limits apply to further restrict roadside advertising. The changes have been made under the Electoral and Road Safety Legislation Amendment Bill 2023 to improve road safety and reduce waste.

Electoral corflute advertising

From 6 weeks before the ACT election, new limits on the number of movable electoral corflutes on public land apply. Individuals and entities are limited to 250 signs on public unleased land. For example, a political party with 5 candidates in 5 electorates must not exceed 6,500 signs (250 for each candidate and 250 for the entity).

Electoral advertising signs must also not be placed on or adjacent to roads with a usual speed limit of 90km/h or more, even if a temporary reduced speed limit is in place.

Other requirements for the placement of electoral advertising signs continue to apply including, they cannot be placed:

• within 100 metres of a polling place during polling, unless they are authorised by the Electoral Commissioner
• on or adjacent to designated areas, which are areas with the special characteristics of the National Capital, except with express approval from the National Capital Authority.

Note: corflute signs are recyclable and can be dropped off for free at the dedicated collection bins at resource management centres on Mugga Lane (Symonston) and Flemington Road (Mitchell). More details on how to appropriately recycle corflute is available in our Recyclopaedia.

For more information visit movable signs.

Advertising on vehicles

Commencing 13 September 2024, a new offence has been introduced for vehicles with a sign attached displaying certain advertising or electoral matter that park in designated places.

Research has found that roadside advertisements can be a significant source of driver distraction, altering visual attention patterns and leading to increased response times and errors.

The new offence applies where all of the following elements are met:

• advertising or electoral matter is displayed on a sign attached to a vehicle (including a trailer). Examples of a sign include digital screens, variable message signs and billboards, AND
• the advertising is greater in area than 1.5m², or is electoral matter of any size, AND
• the vehicle is parked in a designated place.

A designated place is:

• any road with a speed limit of 60km/hr or more, including road related areas or public unleased land directly accessible by vehicle from these roads
• Northbourne Avenue and adjacent road related areas and public unleased land, commencing at the intersection of Northbourne Avenue and Vernon Circle and extending along Northbourne Avenue until the intersection of Northbourne Avenue and Gould Street.

The new offence has an on-the-spot penalty of $700 or a maximum court penalty of 20 penalty units (equivalent to $3,200 for an individual).

For more information see roadside advertising on vehicles.