campaigners in Scotland have welcomed a move by the Welsh Government to scrap plans to stop public traffic notices being printed in the local press.

The decision by Welsh officials follows a public consultation on the issue which revealed just 12% of people asked were in favour of the plans to publish the notices online only.

The study by polling form GfKNOP showed 85% of respondents were against the proposals, leading the Welsh Government to acknowledge it would have left many people "disenfranchised".

In a statement, the Government said: "On the balance of all responses the Welsh Government accepts the counter arguments that order-making authorities should continue to have to place [Public] Notices in local newspapers for the time being."

Tim Blott, president of the Scottish Newspaper Society and Managing Director of the Herald & Times, said: "Removing such notices from the people's preferred media choice will dramatically reduce awareness of public activity and have a significant effect on the nature of debate regarding changes to the fabric of our society.

"The Welsh Government has shown a common sense response to what quality research shows. Public notices are an important public service, and their removal from local newspapers will be deeply unpopular."

The move follows a poll conducted in Scotland on behalf of the society which also found that most people were unhappy with the idea of notices only appearing on local government websites.