AXA draws attention to vehicle signage

Research carried out by AXA has revealed that around 65 per cent of van owners in the UK (a sample of 300 participated in the survey) use vehicle signage to advertise their commercial activities. Though 60 per cent of respondents provide contact telephone numbers (mobile or landline) on their vans, fewer than half include a website address. And only 20 per cent include Facebook and Twitter links.

AXA believes many small-business owners in the UK are failing to make the most of vehicle signage, noting that the majority of prospective customers are more inclined to visit a website than make a call to enquire about a product or service.

The managing director of AXA Business Insurance, Darrell Sansom, added that more than 50 per cent of prospective customers choose not to do business with a company whose vehicle signage contains basic spelling errors.

Mr Sansom said: “Done properly [vehicle signage] has to be one of the best forms of advertising there is. But getting it wrong can be at best a waste of money, and at worst damaging to your business.”

Here at The Sussex Sign Company, we provide professional vehicle wrapping and signage solutions for commercial and private customers.

Councillor expresses ‘horror’ over bullet-damaged Road Signs

Since 2008, Matt Seiber has been updating his website, Gunfire Graffiti, with images of road signs in Britain that have been damaged by gunfire. Earlier this month, the ex-Royal Marine added more images to his website, much to the horror of Chudleigh Town Councillor, Richard Keeling.

Councillor Keeling said that £500 had been set aside to replace a sign in the area that had been hit by “50 small indentation shots and five or six large pot-shots.” The councillor refused to accept that locals were responsible for the damage, hinting that an outsider was most likely to blame.

Worryingly, the Chudleigh Town shooting is not an isolated incident. According to Seiber, bullet-riddled signage is becoming commonplace in Britain.

Speaking to BBC News, Seiber said: “I’m very familiar with the damage guns cause. And these [referring to some of the latest images on his website] have been done by rifles, handguns and shotguns.”

Seiber added that he had discovered evidence of gunfire-damaged road signs throughout the UK.

Here at The Sussex Sign Company, we recognise that vandalism is a major concern for businesses and local authorities. We produce a range of solutions to help combat the threat of criminal damage, though little can be done to prevent vandalism of this nature.

The Million-Dollar Sign

The University of Regina, which is based in Saskatchewan, Canada, raised eyebrows last week when it revealed that almost one million dollars would be spent on a single non-digital sign.

Dave Button, vice president of the university, confirmed that $950,000 had been set aside for the new sign, which will be made from stainless steel. The ‘University of Regina’ sign will measure six feet in height and will be seated on a low stone wall, allowing students and passers-by to rest in the lettering (at least in the ‘U’, that is).

The cost of the sign includes reconstruction of the pavement and landscaping.

Button explained: “When we do campus planning, we’re looking at 50 years and not looking year to year.

“When we did our consultations on the Campus Master Plan, people said that signage is a high priority. We see it as a high priority and it’s a matter of trying to get it done at some point and this was the year we chose.”

Button added that the new sign and pavement will be easier to clear of snow during the winter.

Here at The Sussex Sign Company, we are able to produce signage for all occasions and environments.

Grieving Mother Launches Campaign to Clean Up Road Signs

In 2005, Donna Guile’s daughter, Hayley, was involved in a car crash in Henley. The circumstances of the accident will be familiar to many drivers in the UK. Approaching a junction, Hayley had to swerve to avoid contact with a vehicle that had pulled out in front of her unexpectedly. Hayley died after her car struck a tree.

Eight years later, Mrs Guile is leading a campaign to improve road-sign maintenance.

Mrs Guile explained: “There weren’t a lot of signs on the stretch of road where Hayley had her accident and the man who pulled out wasn’t familiar with the road. The council is quite right to put signs in place, but it has to do its bit in maintaining them.”

Mrs Guile added that the few signs that are installed on the approach to the junction are dirty. She fears another avoidable accident could occur at the junction unless the signs are cleaned.

Supported by two local councillors, David Smith and Elizabeth Hodgkin, Mrs Guile had taken to washing the signs herself. The question is, will Henley Town Council follow suit?

Here at The Sussex Sign Company, we wish Mrs Guile every success in tackling this important issue. Illegible signage is at best useless and at worst dangerous.

Smart Windows Provide Access For Small Businesses

As a small business locked away in a tiny room, there isn’t always the space or right location to advertise the business through a traditional shop sign or display. A new scheme in South Shields is trialling the use of smart windows to promote local businesses. An empty store in the town has been turned into a smart window. Details of a range of local businesses are displayed in the store window, including their unique QR codes. These stores have no high street outlet, so have traditionally found it hard to attract new customers. People who pass the store can now easily scan in the codes and go directly to the company’s website or save the details to use later. The aim of the scheme is to help small, local businesses attract more customers and expand their companies. In the future, it is hoped that some of these stores will be able to fund a move to the high street. There is a huge potential for this type of display; it could be used anywhere, from windows to banners. Here at The Sussex Sign Company we work closely with all our customers, whether large or small, to develop the right signage solution for them.

Warning to sign makers following prosecution

The British Sign and Graphics Association (BSGA) has issued a warning to sign makers over essential maintenance, following a successful prosecution by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

The prosecution follows an incident five years ago, where a 12m x 3m wooden sign was blown down in strong winds. The structure had become decayed and landed on a pedestrian, causing serious brain injuries. The HSE brought the case against both the owner of the building and the sign maker. The Executive’s case centred on the lack of maintenance of the sign, which was installed over 3 metres above the ground and had been in place for nine years. They both received a heavy fine and were ordered to pay costs.

After the case, the BSGA warned sign makers that maintenance was an essential element of their commitment. The BSGA has drafted an additional clause for the British Standard that covers sign making and installation. This will refer to sign maintenance and has been approved in principle by the BSI.

Here at The Sussex Sign Company, we have a strong commitment to health and safety and strive to ensure that all our installations meet current standards and guidelines.

“Visually Dominant” Sign Rejected By Planning Officials

East Cambridgeshire District Council has rejected an application by Phones 4u, for a sign outside its new shop in Ely.

Phones 4u is yet to move into its new premises on Ely High Street, but the retailer has already experienced a setback, when planning officials stated that designs for a large shopfront banner were not in keeping with the area.

Lorraine Brown, conservation officer at East Cambridgeshire District Council, said: “The large expanse of red, whether timber or not, is not appropriate in this location. It [would] be visually dominant within the street scene and [would] neither preserve nor enhance the character or appearance of the conservation area.”

The application submitted by Phones 4u includes a design for a 934mm banner, that extends across the width of the shop, an 800mm non-illuminated fascia sign that features the company’s logo and a 750mm non-illuminated projecting sign above the banner.

Planning officials are chiefly concerned about the colour of the banner, believing that red is not a suitable fit for the area.

Here at The Sussex Sign Company, we produce high-quality signage for commercial customers. Designing a sign for use in a conservation area can be a challenge, but we are always able to provide solutions.

Transport Officials in Seattle Grab Road Users’ Attention

The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) has claimed success in its efforts to make road users more aware of children returning to school.

Earlier this week, SDOT launched a pilot initiative to remind motorists and cyclists that a new school term had begun. Aiming to reduce the number of accidents and near misses involving children outside schools, transport officials elected to use eye-catching signage to communicate their message to road users.

The new signs are colourful and quirky, featuring memorable phrases, such as “EYES ON THE ROAD” and “20 IS PLENTY”. Installed at ground level, the signs ought to help motorists make the connection between children and road safety.

Brian Dougherty of SDOT, said: “I’ve gotten some feedback from people who noticed the signs, wondered what they were and saw SDOT’s logo on them. So, I think drivers are noticing them. Pedestrians are noticing them. Cyclists too.”

Here at The Sussex Sign Company, we applaud officials at SDOT for addressing what is an extremely important issue. Encouraging motorists and cyclists to pay more attention to children can obviously result in improved road safety. The new signs are noticeable and well designed, so we think they stand every chance of making an impact.

Pavement signs removed by shop owners

Three businesses with shops on Orwell Road in Felixstowe have been forced to take down pavement signs, after they were classed as causing an obstruction. The issue with Suffolk County Council resulted from an accident involving a pedestrian tripping over one of the signs.

The businesses, a tea room, jewellery shop and antique dealer, see the signs as a vital form of advertising for their premises. Situated down a side street, customers often take short cuts, so never pass by them. The signs were positioned at the corner of the street and directed passers by to the shops.

After being there for a number of years, they have recently come to the attention of the county council, who have deemed them an obstruction. The first the business owners were aware of the problem was when they found warning stickers placed on the signs. The businesses must now fill in the appropriate forms and work with the council to come to a solution. In the meantime, they’re missing out on valuable trade with no pavement signs.

Here at The Sussex Sign Company we can advise on the best form of signage for businesses, ranging from shop signage to free-standing signs, to help attract new customers.

Signage on bridge draws complaints from councillors

The A153-158 junction bridge in Horncastle is an important site for business owners who want to advertise in the town. But local councillors are concerned that the bridge is being misused by some firms.

Lincolnshire County Council permits local companies to place banners and advertisements on the railings of the bridge. Horncastle Town Council, however, believes that some firms are using the bridge to advertise for products, services or events located outside the town. Councillors have also stressed that some signs are unsuitable for use on the bridge.

Councillor Steven Newton, explained: “I was under the impression that the town’s bridge (on the junction of the A158 and A153) was supposed to be used for local organisations.

“Recently some of the people using it aren’t even from Horncastle, or are advertising signs outside the town.”

Councillor Bill Aron added that some signs are so large they cover those belonging to other firms. The councillors were also in agreement that many of the signs had been allowed to stay on the bridge for longer than necessary.

Here at The Sussex Sign Company, we urge all business owners to think carefully about where they place advertising signage.