A PLAN for an advertising sign on one of Whalley's main roads has been rejected by a government inspector.

The Sidings (Whalley) Ltd had appealed against Ribble Valley Council's refusal to allow an advertising sign at the junction of Station Road, Whalley and The Sidings.

The firm's appeal has been dismissed by a Government inspector who says it would be detrimental to public safety and to the area.

Ribble Valley planners refused the scheme on the grounds of its impact on the street scene and the effects on highway safety. They also felt approval would set a precedent for similar signs although the inspector felt approval would not stop further proposals being decided on their own merits.

In his report, the advertisement control officer for the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, Hugh Llewelyn, upheld the council's decision. He said: "The large amount of information carried on the sign and the small type of many of the words would cause drivers to slow suddenly and even stop to absorb the messages and telephone numbers.

"To my mind, the proposed sign is far more than a simple directional sign and serves to distract motorists at a point in the road where I would judge anything more than a glance is likely to prove dangerous."