Earlier quoted context omitted.
It isn't the ads, really: They are realistically speaking of lighting in bus stops, underpasses, and train stations. Lighting in those areas, which tend to be dark or populated, helps folks feel safer. Taking away the ads makes these places darker, and I can understand not suddenly having nervous folks not take the bus or train. Though, I agree: They can get bent about the contracts. The proper response is to install…
Those areas are explicitly excluded from this.
Unless I'm completely blanking on these signs being used elsewhere, excluding the bus-stop signs sounds like this will not have any noticeable effect apart from providing a nice sounding headline.