'Woke virtue-signalling!' Green council bans all adverts for petrol cars, flights and cruises

Bristol's Green-led council has voted to ban adverts for flights, cruise holidays and petrol cars across all council-owned advertising spaces.

The prohibition covers billboards, digital screens and bus shelters controlled by the local authority.

Councillors approved the restrictions as part of an effort to stop the public seeing what they described as "high-carbon" products and services in a "sustainability" push.

The policy builds on a previous ban on unhealthy food advertising that Bristol introduced in 2021.

Heather Mack, the council's deputy leader, claimed the move was "a win-win for the people of Bristol".

"By banning the advertisement of fossil fuels and products which produce high-carbon emissions, we can encourage the promotion of more sustainable products which are better for individuals and better for the environment," she said.

But Conservative councillor John Goulandris launched a scathing attack on the ban, describing it as "grossly patronising" and raising concerns about the council dictating residents' lifestyle choices.

"This is a hideous example of woke virtue-signalling by the Green administration," he said.

"Should the council really be policing clothing choices or deciding whether residents should be encouraged to take holidays abroad or go on cruises?"

"People are perfectly capable of making their own decisions about what they buy, where they travel and how they live their lives."

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The council acknowledged that the ban is likely to cost up to £80,000 per year in lost advertising revenue as companies withdraw their spending.

Bristol City Council already carries debts of £800million, raising questions about the financial wisdom of voluntarily giving up the income.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders warned that banning petrol and diesel vehicle adverts could restrict consumer choice at a point when many motorists are not yet prepared to make the switch to electric cars.

"Clear information helps consumers make informed choices but advertising restrictions risk constraining choice while doing little to speed up the replacement of older, higher-emitting vehicles with newer, cleaner models," a spokesman for the trade body said.

Campaign group Adfree Cities, which pressures councils to reject adverts that it says damage public health and support harmful industries including fossil fuels, motoring and factory farming, endorsed the decision.

The Green Party has governed Bristol since winning power in 2024 and has pursued a series of contentious policies during that time.

Councillors were forced to deny being "anti-car" last year after rolling out measures that curtailed vehicle use across the city, among them expanded parking charges and higher emissions-based surcharges targeting diesel drivers.

The administration also made its disputed "liveable neighbourhood" scheme permanent in East Bristol in July, a programme that uses physical barriers to cut through-traffic on residential streets.

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