Western Australian Transport Minister Rita Saffioti is preparing to decide the fate of two large electronic advertising billboards, which have been deemed too distracting for drivers by Main Roads.
The billboards overlook merge points on some of Perth's busiest roads and are fixed to buildings at 190 Aberdeen Street in Northbridge and 1060 Hay Street in West Perth.
They are clearly visible over the eastbound entrance to the Northbridge tunnel and to the right of drivers travelling southbound on the Mitchell Freeway approaching the city.
The billboards – sometimes known as "sky signs" – have been dormant for months after Main Roads exercised its power to order the removal of advertising that is "hazardous to traffic safety".
But the owners of both signs have appealed to the minister, asking her to use her powers under a section of the Main Roads Act to intervene and permit the signs to be switched back on.
With more than 60,000 vehicles a day passing each location, the advertising billboards are big business.
The ABC has been told they could each potentially collect up to $1.2 million a year.
'Keep it static'
However, road safety researcher Oscar Oviedo said the signs should not be turned back on, as there was "not a lot of difference" between a mobile phone screen and an electronic billboard.
"My advice is, don't approve them," Dr Oviedo told ABC Radio Perth's Morning program.
"Keep it static. I think electronic billboards should not be accepted, especially if the community don't want them."
"Because they're electronic, they will be able to change their message all the time.
"That's what the risk is – people will anticipate a change and wait a little bit longer looking at it, not paying attention."
In 2019, Dr Oviedo conducted a literature review that found "it is not possible to definitively conclude there is a direct relationship between the driving behaviour changes attributed to roadside advertising and road crashes," but "there is an emerging trend suggesting roadside advertising can increase crash risk, particularly for those signs that have the capacity to frequently change".
A spokesman for Ms Saffioti said she was considering a report on the Northbridge billboard from a specially-formed appeals committee and intended to make a formal decision soon.
The ABC understands the process for the West Perth billboard is not as advanced, with hearings taking place earlier this week and a recommendation due to the minister by Christmas.
Main Roads approval needed
Both signs received planning approval from the City of Perth in 2018 and 2019 respectively, with each subject to nine conditions including a ban on effects like scrolling, fade-outs and fly-ins.
The approvals also specified the advertisements had to be "restricted to static displays that contain only single, self-contained messages that have a 'dwell' duration of not less than 45 seconds".
However, Main Roads has far-reaching powers that override those of local government, and its regulations dictate that if an advertising sign is "reasonably capable of being seen" from a highway or main road, approval must also be sought from the Main Roads commissioner.
It is not clear if the owners of the signs, Epico Pty Ltd and Sign On Group Pty Ltd, were aware they needed such approval, or sought it, prior to erecting their signs.
They both declined to comment.
In a statement, Main Roads said it would not be appropriate to comment due to the legal proceedings underway.
But its publicly available policy on advertising signs says a sign that could "unduly distract drivers due to its design form, orientation or physical size … shall not be permitted."
ABC Radio Perth listeners were keen to join the conversation:
Leeanne: "Both locations are areas where there is a lot of merging and changing lanes and is too dangerous to have distractions."
Andrew: "I'm not opposed to the digital signs but can we have them time sensitive and dull themselves over night time? Do we need all the light pollution?"
Carolyn: "How do those living in places like Tokyo or large international cities cope with all the neon sign distractions? Perth is a small country town with two billboards in comparison."
Sheila: "There are already too many distractions; drivers become sign blind and can miss vital information."
In 2015, then-Transport Minister Dean Nalder was forced to temporarily switch off an electronic billboard on a Kwinana Freeway overpass in Bull Creek after a public outcry.
It was eventually reactivated 15 months later, after an external review concluded it met safety guidelines.
At the time Mr Nalder estimated the sign – and nine others proposed around the metro area – would raise nearly $20 million in revenue for the government over 10 years.
