RESIDENTS of the historic city of York are furious at the council splashing over £4million on a load of bollards that nobody wanted – while neglected residential streets are strewn with potholes.
Funding for roadworks has been syphoned off to install the “eyesores” in the Cathedral city, which attracts millions of visitors each year thanks to its architecture, Roman city walls and world famous York Minster.
Glen MinikinThe silver bollards in York city centre have been branded an eyesore by locals[/caption]
Glen MinikinBollards outside the world famous York Minster[/caption]
The recent upgrades around the city centre, which has seen historic cobbles ripped up to install ‘anti-terror’ bollards, has upset locals who claim it’s created access issues for disabled people.
Many feel the £3.5million Hostile Vehicle Measure (HVM) – designed to prevent a vehicle being driven into an area to be used as a weapon or carry an explosive device – is unnecessary and useless, especially in a place that has never been hit by terrorism.
When The Sun visited, residents told us they feel the money would have been better spent elsewhere.
Bryan Dagg, 89, who has lived on Westlands Grove in the suburb of Heworth since 1970, said: “There is a lot of anger over the anti-terror bollards.
“The Manchester [Arena] attack was committed by a man with a backpack – bollards aren’t going to stop somebody like him.
“They are an eyesore and are no good for the disabled who have trouble navigating them because they clutter up the town centre.
“They are now being installed at the bottom of the Grade 1 listed Assembly Rooms, which is a real shame.”
Retired British Railways surveyor Bryan was so incensed he recently wrote a letter to his local newspaper expressing anger that the road he lives on is now so neglected locals call it ‘Pothole Alley’.
Glen MinikinBryan and Rosemary Dagg say the bollards are pointless and wish the money had been spent on repairing potholes[/caption]
Glen MinikinResidents have nicknamed the street ‘Pothole Alley’[/caption]
Glen MinikinBryan says when the council cuts the grass verges, it leaves all the cuttings behind, creating a ‘horrible mess’[/caption]
It read: “It’s so reassuring to learn that the council has enough of our money to be able fund the installation of multi million-pound ‘anti terrorist’ barriers in our no-longer-fair city, providing yet another eyesore to entertain the tourists.
“This means that they must have enough funds to fill all the potholes in suburban roads; cut and clear the roadside grass borders which grow to an unacceptable height; not think of charging us even more to dispose of our garden waste; and clear the city centre of debris and drunken hooligans who show no respect either for the infrastructure or the law-abiding citizens trying to quietly go about their business.
“I live in Heworth, which was once considered a desirable residential area but is now known as Pothole Alley and is more akin to a slum.”
Bryan, who lives with his wife of 68 years Rosemary, 88, a retired civil servant, said: “We have seen our street deteriorate over the past few years.
“The potholes have got bigger and the grass grown longer. Most of us here mow our own grass verges now because the council leave it to grow a couple of feet before mowing it then leaving all the cuttings behind, leaving a horrible mess.
“It’s madness because they will come and fill potholes every now and again and leave a couple behind, which then inevitably get bigger.
“I’m not sure what they’re thinking when they do that. I have telephoned the council to complain and they just say that they’ll look into it.”
Glen MinikinResidents moan the bollards are not in-keeping with York’s historic heritage[/caption]
Ancient cobbles were dug up to install the bollards in York
Glen MinikinThe bollards take up space on the pavements, making them difficult for wheelchair users to navigate[/caption]
Glen MinikinSue and Peter Hunt are furious they’re left to pay the price for the council’s ‘vanity projects’[/caption]
North Yorkshire was the sixth worst county for potholes in 21/22, with 22,094 noted.
Retired business systems manager Peter Hunt, 75, who also lives on Westlands Grove, points out that council tax there has gone up by five per cent this year.
He and wife Sue, 74, currently have their three-bed semi up for sale for offers above £450K.
“York is not a cheap place to live,” he said. “We pay the price for their vanity projects, all the while we are left with potholed roads.
“There are a lot along here, creating a lot of standing water after rain. I do wonder what my council tax is paying for.
“Money is not so tight that it puts a stop to their vanity projects.
“Quite often the council will think of something and you think, Christ Almighty, I don’t think I signed up for that.”
Neighbour Rebecca Hargreaves, 47, added: “You expect that the council spend on tourism, it’s the lifeblood of York, but the bollards are hideous looking and ruin the beautiful streets of York.
Glen MinikinRebecca Hargreaves says the ‘hideous’ bollards ruin the city’s beautiful streets[/caption]
Glen MinikinJane Dallimore and husband Tony are also fed up with the situation[/caption]
“Some of the bollards are retracting and I hear they come down at night, so what is the point of that?
“I think they are a waste of money and an eyesore for the city.”
Housebound Jane Dallimore, a retired English teacher who has lived there 16 years, said: “There is a feeling the country is going through a difficult time and we’ve got to put up with this until things improve.”
Meanwhile in neighbouring suburb Acomb, residents are up in arms after taking part in a £20,000 survey asking how they would like to see their high street improved – only to wake up one morning in April to find the council had installed 138 unsightly bollards along the shopping district of Front Street, costing £400,000.
Some of the bollards are retracting and I hear they come down at night, so what is the point of that? I think they are a waste of money and an eyesore for the city
Rebecca Hargreaves, local resident
Marketing and learning school support worker Vicki Hill, 56, who started the campaign group ‘What a Load of Bollards’ to remove them, tells The Sun: “I was literally in tears.
“I could not believe what they had done.”
Over 1,200 Acomb residents and businesses responded to the survey in 2021 asking how they wanted the shopping area to improve to support economic growth.
Residents asked for the street to look more appealing – to be opened up with new seating areas, more trees and level paving to make it more accessible for the elderly and wheelchair users.
Instead, the council created a bollard wall – nicknamed Fortress Front Street.
Glen MinikinThe wall of bollards installed in Acomb has appalled residents, who’ve nicknamed it Fortress Front[/caption]
Glen MinikinThe campaign group What a Load of Bollards is calling for their removal[/caption]
Vicki said: “Everyone was in shock. This is the one area of York where traffic was not the issue.
“The irony is they put up the bollards to stop cars parking there, when cars can only come down the main street at restricted times of the day, and most simply drive round the outside.
“The bollards were answering a problem that simply didn’t exist and no one could work out why on earth they were there.
“There is one area where a bench is surrounded by eight bollards – who wants to sit there?
There is one area where a bench is surrounded by eight bollards – who wants to sit there?
Vicki Hill, York resident
“And with no new dropped kerbs in place, any disabled residents wanting to cross the road have to find a suitable place and then navigate getting through bollards.
“It’s such a waste of money and the chance to really do something wonderful to encourage people to use the shops and businesses and keep the high street alive.
“It’s a horrible example of the very worst backward thinking by planners and has pretty much ruined what was one of the nicest areas of York.”
The council had originally earmarked £1.75m for the city’s anti-terror scheme, but a delay in starting the work has meant this price jumped to £3.5m because of the rising costs of concrete and steel.
Glen MinikinLocals moan the bollards were answering a problem that simply didn’t exist[/caption]
This, confirms Labour spokesperson for transport Cllr Rachel Melly, has been taken from the highways’ budget.
She said: “Mismanagement of the scheme has led to delays, costing the local taxpayer at £3.5m – double its original quote – an increase that is paid for by removing money for road repairs.”
York Civic Trust is calling for a re-think on the £3.5m scheme.
Organisations, including York Civic Trust, were originally involved in influencing the design of the HVM in 2018, but the trust said there has been no public consultation since.
The scheme was given the go-ahead in August 2022 by the then City of York Council executive.
Duncan Marks, York Civic Trust society manager, said: “York’s city centre and economy relies on – and is made better by – the quality of its historic and modern streets and buildings – 8.4 million visitors a year can’t be wrong.
“However, it is painfully obvious that the hostile vehicle measures – essentially glorified bollards – are not in-keeping with the rest of the city and are damaging to local heritage.”
Glen MinikinAndrew Morrison says the relaying of the paving in Spurriergate has resulted in a random mess of partly painted yellow lines scattered across the whole area[/caption]
Glen MinikinThe bollards have been described as a ‘cluttered mess’[/caption]
York Civic TrustBlake Street bollards will be installed in front of the Assembly Rooms building[/caption]
The soon-to-be Blake Street bollards will be sited directly in front of the Grade-I listed Assembly Rooms – an iconic Georgian building which for nearly 300 years has gone unobstructed by street clutter – says the trust.
Their installation has been pushed back until January – and York Civic Trust says this is a good opportunity to stop and consider the impact of these bollards, both on heritage and people.
Andrew Morrison, chief executive of York Civic Trust, said: “If the planning process had been used and the public given adequate time to review the plans, then the schemes would have been improved.
“The low-level sensors act as trip hazards for many and the Shambles – which is York’s most popular street – has been damaged.
“Now that there is time before the next installation, the council should facilitate public consultation on these measures, both to protect York’s heritage and to reduce the issues they pose to pedestrians, particularly those with low mobility.
The low-level sensors act as trip hazards for many and the Shambles – which is York’s most popular street – has been damaged
Andrew Morrison, chief executive of York Civic Trust
“The bollards are a cluttered mess, including an old iron bollard required to protect one of the new sensors from vehicles hitting it.
“The relaying of the paving in Spurriergate has resulted in a random mess of partly painted yellow lines scattered across the whole area.
“Surely we can do better than this for York?”
The barriers were reportedly installed following advice from counter-terrorism officers and North Yorkshire Police.
Part of the anti-terror scheme to stop cars entering the city centre means that disabled people have been banned from using their Blue Badge to enter large parts of it since November 2021.
This decision appalled disability groups, who are fighting to overturn it.
Vicki Allen has been told they have £500,000 to rectify the bollards on Front Street.
She said: “Sadly it is not enough money to even take up all of the bollards. We will be left with none of the great things we had hoped for.
“I would like to appeal to any road companies that could help us do this for £500,000. If you can help us, then please come forward.”
The Sun reached out to City of York Council but they did not provide a comment.
Access was restricted while the work went on to install the bollards
Glen MinikinBryan was so incensed he recently wrote a letter to his local newspaper expressing anger about the potholes on his street[/caption] Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
