Illegal billboards of all shapes and sizes are mushrooming along arterial roads across the island. Billboards and advertising screens should be covered by a permit and owners are meant to pay encroachment fees in public places, but sources said the authorities have been turning a blind eye to illegalities.
Mepa said there were currently 117 legal billboards on main roads and another 70 illegal ones subject to an enforcement notice. But according to Mepa sources, the number of illegal billboards in the authority’s files shows just the tip of the iceberg.
Under the law, those served with an enforcement notice have to remove the illegal structure within a limited period of time or it will be removed by Mepa. However, so far, Mepa has not intervened to remove any.
“There have always been some illegal billboards on Maltese roads.
However, the number has exploded in the last months, particularly following the last elections,” a Mepa insider said. “Almost all the billboards used by Labour in the last election have stayed in place, illegally, and are now being used commercially by a private company,” a businessman in the trade said.
Labour has been served with an enforcement notice for placing a large advertising screen illegally outside its TV complex in Marsa.
Asked on this issue, Mepa confirmed that Labour’s screen is illegal but said that the party had now filed “a pending application to sanction this development”.
Most of the illegal billboards are not even observing Mepa guidelines on how they should be erected to avoid possible distractions for drivers.
These state that billboards should not be placed within 50 metres of any approach to major roads, junctions or pedestrian crossings.
They should not be positioned on any part of the carriageway, and a clear distance of 75 metres is to be left between successive billboards.
However, these rules are being completely disregarded, even by Transport Malta, which is supposed to give its clearance.
A number of billboards put up in Rabat road, Marsa’s Aldo Moro Road, Msida roundabout and Portes de Bombes are illegal, one source noted.
Many operators are also defying the law which stipulates billboards should be kept in good condition.
“The situation needs to be addressed soon as many of those having legal permits are now also considering breaking the law and placing more illegal billboards themselves,” a senior executive in the advertising industry said.
“It’s now almost becoming an issue of if you can’t beat them join them.”