Countryside campaigners CPRE {1} welcomed today's (Monday) Government announcement of stronger policies to curb unauthorised advertising billboards alongside motorways. These measures, out to consultation today {2}, need to be swiftly put into place.

New Government advice will highlight the problem of unauthorised advertising, and also the key role that local council planners have in tackling it.

Housing and Planning Minister, Yvette Cooper MP, will also write to every local council asking them to improve enforcement - and for information to help build up a database of persistent offenders for displaying illegal adverts and flyposting.

Paul Miner, CPRE's Planning Campaigner, said: 'This is great news for the countryside and a good result for our campaigning. This illegal advertising detracts from the beauty of rural England as well as distracting drivers at high speed.

'For too long cowboy firms have been able to get away with cheapening our countryside, with tatty trailers touting things like used cars and printer cartridges.

'The 72 local authorities that have acted on our campaign so far have done much to stop the problem escalating, but some of the worst hotspots still remain {3}. We've waited patiently for the Government to follow up on their promises last year to take action. Once we have clearer guidelines in place, there should be no excuse for this practice to continue.'

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NOTES FOR EDITORS

1. CPRE, the Campaign to Protect Rural England, is a charity which promotes the beauty, tranquillity and diversity of rural England. We advocate positive solutions for the long-term future of the countryside. Founded in 1926, we have 60,000 supporters and a branch in every county. President: Sir Max Hastings. Patron: Her Majesty The Queen.

2. In a Written Ministerial Statement issued today, Yvette Cooper MP announced a consultation on new regulations and a policy circular on the planning controls on outdoor advertising. The statement will be available from www.communities.gov.uk.

3. A list of local authorities that have taken action in response to CPRE's campaign on roadside advertising: Local authorities supporting our campaign. In August 2005 CPRE highlighted a number of hoarding hotspots where unauthorised advertising was a particular problem. CPRE understands that many of these areas have since been cleared, but that the problem remains particularly serious along stretches of the M6 in Cheshire.