16. FINANCIAL AND OTHER ARRANGEMENTS
16. FINANCIAL AND OTHER ARRANGEMENTS
16.1 The general principle is that all tourist signing is provided at the expense of the applicant and that the trunk road authority and hence the public purse should incur no financial burden in providing tourist signing on the trunk road and motorway network other than for ongoing maintenance.
16.2 The applicant will be responsible for the cost of providing the traffic signs including the design, manufacture, supervision of works, posts and fittings, concrete, erection, traffic management, lane rental charges (if applicable) and safety fencing (if required).
16.3 Once the signs have been installed, they come under the strict control of the trunk road authority. No alterations to signs can be made without the consent of the trunk road authority.
16.4 The trunk road authority will be responsible for maintenance and repair of the signs including cleaning and the operation of variable flaps or covers. The cost of the latter will be represented in the initial cost of provision.
16.5 The applicant(s) will be responsible for the costs of replacement of the sign when it reaches the end of its serviceable life. The trunk road operator, on deciding that a sign needs to be replaced, will inform the HTA that the sign requires replacing. The HTA will then make an assessment of whether the previous application is still relevant, after which it will approach the tourist destinations involved for payment for a new sign or for a new application if it is required.
16.6 A specific agreement must be made between the trunk road authority and the applicant prior to the installation of approved tourist signing. Where the signs are being promoted by a group of individuals or by VisitScotland or a Local Enterprise Company, a nominated person or organisation will be required to sign the agreement with the trunk road authority on behalf of the promoting group. Model letters of agreement are attached at Annex C.
16.7 Signs may be modified, replaced or removed by the trunk road authority at any time for traffic management, safety or other reasons. If it becomes necessary to remove the signing within the first five years (for any reason other than the closure of the destination), the applicant will be entitled to make a claim for re-imbursement of trunk road sign installation costs on a pro-rata basis for the outstanding period. After this initial five year period, no compensation will be payable.
16.8 VisitScotland will alert HTAs and the trunk road authority to destinations which are no longer eligible for signs.
16.9 Signs will not normally be altered or removed by the trunk road authority without giving prior notice to the original applicant(s) and VisitScotland.
16.10 Applicants should be advised that the cost of providing tourist signs on trunk roads and motorways (due to large sign sizes and safety fence requirements) can be very high.
16.11 The HTA will collect the funds from the applicant and be responsible for distributing these to any other relevant authorities.
Design Arrangements
16.12 Each HTA will have separate processes for the design of signing schemes. Some authorities will require that the design is carried out in-house whilst others will require designs to be carried out by approved consultants. The applicant should check the detailed requirements with the relevant HTA.
Manufacture and Installation
16.13 The approved signs must be manufactured in accordance with BS 873 [8] or any successor standard by a sign manufacturer approved by the HTA.
16.14 Whilst the HTA is responsible for co-ordinating the design and approvals process, it is the responsibility of each individual local authority to arrange for erection of signs within its boundaries. In the case of signs on Trunk Roads and Motorways, the signs must be installed by an approved contractor in liaison with the trunk road operator.