A spokesperson for RTA in a statement issued on Thursday, said: “The new manually issued guide to outdoor advertising in Dubai was released by the RTA today Thursday to give renewed guidelines in the ensuring safety and security of pedestrians and users of the roads.”
Dubai Municipality and Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism released the 112-page Out-of-Home (OOH) Advertising Manual that covers the types of images permissible, measurements, lighting, dimensions, locations, and more of outdoor advertising.
Here are the salient points of the outdoor advertising manual:
- They must not cover or hinder building installations and features as well as fire exits. It shall be designed concerning the type and capacity of escape from such exits.
- The sign should also be installed in a way that headlights do not reflect on the driver’s view or the driver’s line of sight. Accordingly, placing a sign at 5 degrees away from a right angle to the driver’s Line of sight can help reduce head light reflections.
- No part of a sign or its supporting structure may hang over the road or an area that is designated for parking but has hard standing.
- In any circumstances, there must not be over-hanging freestanding signage within row over the road carriageway and will be required to have a reasonably safe lateral distance from the carriageway and a reasonably safe vertical distance from the level of the carriageway or footpath.
- Some of the freestanding signages require a specified setback of a reasonable distance from the traffic signal signages.
- It must be understood that no advertisement may replicate a traffic control element which includes traffic lights.
- There are some requirements to the large and medium advertisements if they are placed on the freestanding basis, such as, for example, unipole, megacom, etc.: the color of advertisements must not be dominant in relation to the color of the large traffic signs (directional, tourist, informational, etc.); advertisements cannot contain reflectors as in the darkness they can be mistaken for the traffic control appliance.
- The messages conveyed in advertisements should not be incongruous such as those that are likely to divert the attention of the drivers or in any way compromise road safety.
- Every advert must always be clearly readable. It is recommended that a figure ground size contrast with clear font of at least 150mm high is appropriate.
- IF advertisements are to be illuminated there ought not to be large areas of red display. In wet, night conditions, it may be confused with traffic light signals or ‘red’ or ‘brake/stop’ or ‘rear lights’ of other moving cars.
- Computerized or electronically operated signs, any sign that has any part of the sign as a video sign or an animated sign shall not be placed on road reserves if it is visible to drivers.
Exceptions
RTA illuminated the following items are not covered by the manual and can be permitted for installation only if the asset under consideration does not hamper the existing signages in terms of visibility and road safety:
- Signboards of government and political corps; national flags
- Other types of road signs include regulatory or guidance signs.
- Outdoor or route directions
- Road traffic painted signs and signs on pillars concerning the pedestrian and vehicle path; the names of streets; the numbers of buildings and the guide signs of car parks
- Guidance signboards provided by RTA/DM and the respective authorities for the promotion of historical values and identification of the features or similar items
- Signs of warning and security, signs showing risks, and ones that grab people’s attention
- Seasonal decorations, etc., which have nothing in common with advertising, but are made of the same material
RTA pointed out that any deviation from this guideline will require approval that is exceptional from the technical committee of RTA and Dubai Municipality. At any point in time both RTA or DM have the right to repossess any asset found want of compliance.
More details and descriptions about the revised rules can be found on the RTA website: https://www.rta.ae/links/out-of-home-advertising.pdf.
