Businesses should be charged £100 to puts A-boards on pavements outside their shops, a councillor has claimed.

Ilkley Parish councillor Paul Kitching says his idea would help reduce the use of pavement signs after complaints about the large numbers in the town centre.

He was speaking after the chairman of Ilkley Civic Society complained about a “rash” of boards springing up in Ilkley, especially on the main shopping streets, The Grove and Brook Street.

Although policing the use of A-boards is the responsibility of Bradford Council, Helen Kidman says she wants the parish council to crack down on the issue.

She said: “A-boards are all over Ilkley like a rash. I’d like to ask whether Ilkley Parish Council would consider taking any action about A-boards.

“You can’t walk in a straight line down some streets without walking into them. They cause obstruction and they could cause you to have some kind of accident, and they contribute to street clutter.

“I’d welcome support from the council to do something about this issue because it’s getting to be more than a minor irritation.”

Coun Kitching said: “I wonder whether Bradford Council could start charging businesses £100 to have A-boards in the right places outside their shops? That way we’ll see how important they are to people.”

Earlier this year, Bradford Council issued a code of practice for A-boards across the district. Senior enforcement officer, Ayub Khan, said the Council had been taking action against businesses and shopkeepers breaking the code, but he also welcomed any new ideas.