RMS Variable Message Sign (VMS) Distracting Drivers at Dangerous Intersection in Frenchs Forest
The RMS Technical Directions which have been “in power” since 2010, state (quote):
“Locating Portable VMS – On the road
Portable VMS must be placed at safe locations that do not present an accident risk to road users.
Suitable road locations include:
- where minimum approach site distance is available for prevailing speed
- sites that are clear of signalised intersections, roundabouts and intersections.
These devices are designed to attract attention – in very simple terms, they are designed to “distract drivers”.
They breed like rabbits and have become a multi-million dollar industry advertising everything from Rug Sales to Community Events.
This is an excerpt from the RMS letter to ALL Councils and ALL Plant Hire companies of October 2012 (copies attached)
• VMS within the classified road reserve must not be used for advertising; be it promotion of
community events or commercially based advertising. (road reserve is generally defined as the
space on the roadway between opposing property front boundary alignments, and includes, road shoulders, footpaths, green strips and median islands)
• Under the Roads Act 1993, RMS reserves the right to (and will) remove an unauthorised
VMS located within the classified road reserve.
• The RMS may also remove a VMS outside the road reserve, eg on private property, that is
deemed to be a traffic hazard in terms of either location or messaging.
When positioning VMS on local council roads or private property you need to be mindful of the
VMS proximity and line of sight to traffic lights and traffic signs and also to the needs of
pedestrians and cyclists using footpaths and shared paths. The use of red, yellow and green
display within close proximity or line of sight to traffic lights is also strongly discouraged.
To prove our utter frustration with the RTA/RMS, here’s an excerpt from a letter we received in regards to numerous complaints, from Ann King, then Acting CE of the RTA. It’s dated 17 May 2010.
This is now over 5 years ago. She stated (QUOTE):
The RTA is committed to ensuring the road environment IS safe. This includes the
placement of advertising and sign age in and near the road.
The NSW Minister for Planning is responsible for the implementation and management
of the State Environmental Planning Policy No. 64 – Advertising and Signage, which has
implications for advertising in and near transport corridors, including roads. The NSW
Department of Planning is currently undertaking a review of State Environmental
Planning Policy No. 64. The RTA is involved in that review and will consider your
comments in dealings with the Department of Planning.
When the NSW Department of Planning review is complete, the RTA will be developing
a policy on the management of advertising and signage, not covered by State
Environmental Planning Policy No. 64 – Advertising and Signage, in and near the road
reserve, in accordance with standards identified in the review. The RTA will consider
your comments in the development of that policy.
In March 2013 STAYSAFE recommended “AS A MATTER OF URGENCY” that:
The Committee recommends that Transport for NSW finalises, as a matter of urgency, its
review of variable message signs in order to provide greater certainty for drivers and the
outdoor media industry concerning the safe operation and locations of such signs.
In spite of this, the RMS remains asleep at the wheel and as this video proves, they can’t even enforce their own Technical Directions, let alone get the illegal commercial operators off the road.
The problem will only worsen until the enforcement function is removed from the RMS, who currently have a conflict of interest, because the very same people who award the $5 million plus, legitimate contracts to companies like Kennard’s, Coates, ActivHire etc., are the people who are supposed to enforce the Technical Directions.
They are utterly incompetent and the current system is all far too friendly.
Post time: Jun-15-2017