North Northamptonshire Council (NNC) has decided to ban roadside memorials and plaques.
NNC’s Executive Committee met on the 20th of January 2026, and voted to ban such memorials, as part of the authority’s updated highways network management plan.
The report received by the Committee stated:
“Such memorials can be a distraction for motorists and are potentially an obstruction to the public highway.”
“Their long-term presence raises concerns over the maintenance, repair and insurance issues which in time are likely to rest with the highway authority.”
“The memorials could become an attraction for vandalism, causing distress to relatives.”
“Given the above and that there are alternative means of leaving a memorial to the victim of a collision, plaques and monuments will not be permitted by [NNC] for this purpose.”