Traffic management and calming

Mirrors

In line with national criteria, we don’t allow mirrors to be placed on the roadway boundary.

Why mirrors can’t be placed on the road

It may seem strange we don’t allow mirrors on the road, but research has shown that they can often cause as many problems as they solve. Mirrors can increase safety risks which include:

  • difficulty in judging the distance and speed of vehicles
  • If they’re not angled correctly or there’s a wide approach it can be difficult to see traffic approaching
  • pedestrians and cyclists can be in the periphery of a mirror and not particularly visible
  • light reflecting and interfering with a driver’s vision or create a distraction
  • if dirty, damaged or obscured by frost or snow the view is distorted
  • they create an unreasonable dependence on the mirror without using normal caution such as driving slowly, listening for traffic

Existing mirrors

Mirrors that are currently on the road have been erected privately and shouldn’t be on the road boundary. If we think a mirror creates a road safety concern can be removed.

To report an issue with mirrors placed on the roadside online you can use our online form.

Putting up a new mirror

We don’t permit mirrors to be place on the roadside. If you put up a mirror privately and off the roadside, you should consider liability in the event of an accident near your mirror.