A company with a history of flyposting offences has been hit once more with a fine. Shortly before Christmas Figgos Ltd, trading as bathroompackage.com was taken to court by Manchester City Council. Earlier in the year council officers found six posters advertising the website attached to street furniture in the Northenden and Baguley areas of the city. Because of the inherent danger posed to motorists by flyposted signs, which include posing a dangerous distraction, blocking lines of sight and generally degrading the overall amenity of the area they are posted, the activity is banned under the Highways Act 1980. Through their investigations council officers discovered previous enforcement action had taken place regarding flyposters advertising the same website.

Manchester City Council subsequently invited the management of Figgos Ltd to explain their actions but this was not taken up. On December 20 the company was convicted in abesentia of flyposting at Manchester and Salford Magistrates’ Court. It was ordered to pay a fine of £1,680, as well as court costs of £250 and a victim surcharge of £30, totalling £1,960.
Councillor Rabnawaz Akbar, Executive Member for Neighbourhoods, said: “It is no secret this type of behaviour is illegal, which makes the actions of Figgos Ltd all the more baffling.

“As a council we are determined to ensure our city is a pleasant place to live, and the sight of adverts strapped to lamp posts or railings being left to rot away is something we are not prepared to tolerate. “Cleaning up the mess left by flyposters diverts time and money away from far more important projects and hopefully this substantial fine will act as a deterrent to any other companies tempted to flypost.”