Bollards could be removed after just two years

The bollards on Front Street in Acomb could be replaced with planters and seating

Bollards on a high street that have been compared to an "invading army" look set to be removed after a council u-turn.

Around 100 bollards were put up on Front Street in the Acomb area of York in January 2023 at a cost of £400,000.

At the time, City of York Council's Liberal Democrat and Green coalition claimed their installation would help tackle illegal parking.

But a second phase of the area's regeneration, costing £557,000, has been backed by the authority, now run by Labour, which could see seating and planters replace the bollards.

The council’s executive agreed on Thursday 18 July to draw up plans for further changes to the street, which would be set for a final decision in September.

Officials aimed to complete the works before a deadline to spend money from the Shared Prosperity Fund by March next year, the meeting heard.

'Spiritless strip'

Last July, campaign group What A Load of Bollards handed in a petition calling for the removal of the barriers.

Zeina Chapman, from the group, said the poles had created a "spiritless strip".

Surveys by councillors on the future of the bollards received 900 responses and 5,000 comments, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

At the meeting last Thursday to discuss the future of Front Street, deputy council leader Peter Kilbane said the bollards had "arrived one morning like an invading army was taking occupation".

“The installation of the bollards resulted in hundreds of thousands of pounds of taxpayers' money being wasted," he added.

"We’ve risen to the challenge and listened to what people have said."

Responding to these criticisms, Liberal Democrat councillor Andrew Waller has said the bollards made Front Street a safer place, and that the party had worked hard to secure grants from the government's Shared Propserity Fund.

Councillors are now to look at changes to allow for more events like street markets following successful trials.

They were also expected to consider a 20mph speed limit and banning traffic from Front Street altogether.

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