for happier, healthier cities
A YouGov poll commissioned by Adfree Cities found that a rather shocking proportion of drivers don’t agree with the statement that “SUVs and pickups are more dangerous to pedestrians and cyclists”. To be clear, they definitely are. Research has shown that pedestrians and cyclists are 44% more likely to be killed if struck by an SUV, rising to 82% for children….Continue reading How advertising blinds drivers to SUV risks
Adblocking galore this month as not only have Adblock Bristol prevented more ad screens going up, but residents of Manchester will soon see three digital billboards coming down thanks to bold action from the city council….Continue reading March updates from Adfree Cities
Manchester City Council have issued a discontinuance notice against three billboards in Manchester. What that means is that the council have essentially removed planning permission for the billboards, and ordered the billboards’ owners – City Outdoor Media – to take them down. …Continue reading Manchester council wins case to remove billboards
Help stop advertising being written out of planning rules I know we talk about the planning system a lot (some say not enough) but it’s central to our mission at Adfree Cities. We want councils and communities to be empowered to decide when and whether they want adverts in their public spaces, and a robust, democratic planning system is…Continue reading Updates from Adfree Cities, February 2026
Lots of developments in ad land this month, with the long-awaited junk food ad ban coming into force on TV and online, and the excellent news that Amsterdam has banned fossil fuel and meat advertising in public spaces. Read on for our take on these, as well as great actions from allies, and opportunities to take action yourself this month….Continue reading Adfree Cities’ January newsletter
Dutch capital city Amsterdam has set a new gold standard by banning polluting advertising by local law. Ads for everything from fossil fuels to flights to petrol and diesel vehicles, gas heating contracts, and even meat products can, from May 1st, no longer be displayed in public spaces or on the city’s public transport network….Continue reading Amsterdam bans ads for fossil fuels and meat