PLANTING OF TREES, SHRUBS AND GRASS OR OTHER PLANTS BY PERSON OTHER THAN ROADS AUTHORITY (Hansard, 20 June 1984)

§ Sir Hector Monro
I am interested in the fact that the clause authorises proprietors of land adjoining a public road to plant or maintain trees within the highway boundary. I welcome the planting of trees, and I had something to do with the planting of trees along the A74 when I was the chairman of a planning committee. My hon. Friend's Department is reluctant, for reasons of road safety, to allow hotel signs of high quality and attractiveness to be placed within the highway boundary. Surely the reluctance on the Department's part to allow such signs to be placed within the highway boundary cannot be attributed to road safety reasons, when it is prepared to have trees within the boundary, which are more likely to cause damage to a car. It seems that my hon. Friend is in conflict with his own principles. Will he look more favourably on allowing road signs, hotel signs, and other signs advertising services and facilities to tourists to be positioned within the highway boundary?

§ Mr. Bill Walker
I support the argument of my hon. Friend the Member for Dumfries (Sir H. Monro). It is disappointing that we shall not have the opportunity to debate the new clause which my hon. Friend tabled on this important issue.
The arguments that we hear constantly about road safety are advanced on the ground that hotel signs, for example, will cause problems to motorists. I welcome the planting of trees and the opportunities that are given to landowners and proprietors with land close to the roadside to plant trees. The more trees that are planted, the better, but, as my hon. Friend rightly says, it cannot be said that it is wrong to have suitable high-quality road signs for hotels.
In my constituency some new trees have been planted along a roadside fairly recently, and one of the trees contains a sign for the Ballathie House hotel. The sign is near a beech hedge. The sign is attractive and the tree is attractive and I can see no reason why the combination should not be encouraged. It improves the countryside and it encourages the tourists to return. Such signs indicate to them the places for which they are probably looking. I have never been able to understand the logic of the Scottish Office on this issue, which causes it constantly to refuse the placing of appropriate and attractive signs.

§ Mr. Allan Stewart
There is no conflict over the planting of trees. The roads authority may specify the conditions in which the trees may be planted and, in particular, may require the authorised person to give any necessary written undertakings to ensure the safety and convenience of road users. My hon. Friends would not wish me to embark on an extended debate on the question of hotel signs and so on, although I know that they are concerned about such matters. I hope that they will accept my assurance on the limited point that there is no conflict between the Government's attitude to that and the purpose of clause 49.