Hastings Hill TV screen condemned as Christmas gift no-one asked for

Councillors criticise Sunderland Council’s new giant advertising screen on Chester Road as an eyesore and a road safety risk.

Councillors in Sunderland are up in arms after Sunderland Council installed a giant TV advertising screen on a main road in and out of the city without telling local people.

A LED advertising screen measuring 5.7 metres by 2.3 metres was installed on the Hastings Hill roundabout on Chester Road just before Christmas. The screen faces traffic heading into the city centre from the A19.

Neither local residents nor local councillors representing the Grindon and Hastings Hill areas were informed or consulted about the plans and had no idea that the advertising screen was going up until it was installed on the roundabout.

Local people have since reacted with fury branding it an eyesore and questioning the impact of changing advertisement displays on road safety in the area.

Councillors for the area have condemned the Council and now want any advertising revenue it receives to be ringfenced for improving community facilities and services in Grindon and Hastings Hill.

Lib Dem councillor for Grindon and Hastings Hill Stephen O’Brien said:

“This horrendous eyesore is the Christmas gift absolutely no-one in our area asked for.

“As usual, Sunderland Council have treated local people with absolute contempt, failing to inform or consult residents in the area or councillors who represent them. Local people understandably feel like the Council has done this behind our backs.

“There are fears that a 5 metre high giant advertising screen is going to be a huge risk to road safety on this busy main road, and that local people who have to put up with this aren’t going to see any of the benefits.

“That’s why I am calling on Council bosses to ring-fence any advertising money they receive from this monstrosity so that it is spent on improving local services like road repairs, street cleaning and tackling crime in our community who have been treated with such disrespect by Sunderland Council.”