THE use of advertising A-boards in York is to be reviewed, with plans to bring in guidelines for the whole of the city.

City of York Council had put forward plans for a “zero-tolerance” approach, which would have seen A-boards banned from city-centre streets.

But a meeting yesterday decided guidelines should be brought in instead of a city-wide ban.

The authority fears A-boards could cause hazards for people with wheelchairs and pushchairs and those with sight difficulties, as well as cluttering streets.

A meeting of the community safety overview and scrutiny committee yesterday heard how the council received about 200 complaints a year about the signs.

Councillors agreed to a review to establish sensible guidelines for the use of A-boards across the city, to look at options available to businesses and possible health and safety matters.

In 2008 the council threatened businesses which did not remove A-boards with a £2,500 fine over fears they would block pavements and cause accidents, but relented the following year, telling traders no action was likely if boards were propped against buildings.

Coun Sandy Fraser reminded the meeting of the discussions and the decision in 2009 – which was not carried out – to come up with guidelines for A-boards.

Meanwhile, Coun Ken King said that while he would support an all-out ban on behalf of people with sight difficulties, he accepted that implementing guidelines instead was a compromise.

He said: “We have been discussing this for 20 years... We need to set a policy now and get on with it.”

Earlier this month, The Press reported how businesses had argued it was important for them to be able to advertise and disputed whether they were in the way.

Jason Hawkins, who runs the Three Tuns and Blue Boar pubs in Coppergate and Castlegate, said: “It’s utterly ridiculous, especially in the current economic climate when the council should be supporting local businesses.”