Health campaigners welcome government concessions on TV product placement

NORTH West health campaigners Our Life welcomed reports that the government has watered down its plans to allow products to be marketed through television programming.

TV producers will now not be allowed to feature any branded alcohol, junk food or gambling in programmes.

Commenting on the proposals, Our Life chief executive Dr Alison Giles said:- “We are disappointed that the government is going ahead with product placement, but we are delighted with the decision to restrict its use. This is in no doubt due to the pressure exerted on ministers by campaigners – including those in the North West – who are particularly concerned where it may influence children.”

Although the government had stated the proposals would not include children’s TV, it is widely acknowledged that children watch TV outside the hours of children’s programming and that they are particularly susceptible to marketing of food high in fat, sugar or salt content.

In a recent poll of 1,000 parents across the North West, Our Life found that:-

► 87.5% of respondents agreed that children are aware of advertising on television

► 88.1% indicated that children often refer to products they have seen on television

► 85% indicated that children often ask for products they have seen on television

► 67% feel pressured into buying products that their children have seen on television.

“These measures should now ensure our children are less exposed to marketing for junk food as well as promotions which will glamorise alcohol,” Dr Giles said.

ROAD BRIDGE CLOSES FOR MAJOR UPGRADE

WORK has started on a £1.1m joint project between Network Rail and Sefton Council to strengthen the road-over-rail bridge on St Lukes Road in Southport.

The bridge is a three-span structure carrying the A5267 at a skewed angle over the Southport to Wigan railway line.

This is a major route on the east side of Southport that carries nearly 19,000 vehicles per day, of which just over 450 are HGVs.

The bridge has been assessed as part of a programme looking at all 1,000 road-over-rail bridges in the North West to determine whether they meet current vehicle weight loading criteria. Such bridges have to be capable of carrying HGVs weighing up to 40 tonnes.

Network Rail’s route director Jo Kaye, said:- “The structure is not unsafe. It simply means that as standards are updated, some structures need to be either strengthened or demolished and rebuilt with modern materials to bring them up to date.”

If the work is not carried out, it will mean a permanent weight restriction will have to be imposed by the highway authority. This would restrict the movement of HGVs over the bridge but could also mean that buses and some emergency vehicles such as ambulances and fire & rescue vehicles may not be able to use it.

The existing bridge deck on one span will be demolished and replaced using pre-cast beams.; an additional supporting pier will be constructed between the railway tracks to effectively split the main span into two smaller spans; work will be carried out underneath the footpaths to strengthen them to be able to withstand an accidental mounting of the pavement by an HGV.

To carry out the work, St Lukes Road will be closed until mid-April, and local diversions have been put in place. A temporary pedestrian footbridge is in position adjacent to the existing bridge.

The cost of the work is being split, with Sefton council providing 85% of the funds and Network Rail paying the remaining 15%. The work is being carried out by Network Rail’s contractor J Murphy & Sons.