'Human bollards' block vehicles from Exeter buses-only road

Campaigners said the action would continue all week

Campaigners in Exeter acting as so-called human bollards have blocked 70 vehicles from using a buses-only road.

The protesters have been demanding police and Devon County Council enforce bus gate restrictions on Ladysmith Road and Whipton Lane, organisers said.

The bus gates were installed as part of the controversial Heavitree and Whipton Active Streets Trial.

Campaigners claimed a cyclist and her baby were hit by a car in the "crush of drivers" ignoring the bus gate.

'Inevitable angry residents'

Supporters of the trial said it made streets cleaner and safer, but opponents said they believed it was making journeys longer and increased congestion and pollution on roads around the area, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Monday's action was supported by the national group Safe Streets Now.

Exeter spokesman Caspar Hughes said the event had been a success and supporters would continue all week at the beginning and end of the school day.

He said: "There was a lot of support; lots of supportive parents and even a supportive taxi driver who stopped to thank us.

"There were also some inevitable angry residents and parents as well.

"But what was really lovely was watching kids on their scooters going to school.

"It needs to be safe for them to do that, and the best way to make it safe is to remove the drivers from the roads outside."

'Too little action'

Mr Hughes said many local drivers were ignoring the trial and going through bus gates regardless because of "far too little action from the authorities ... who appear to be blaming each other".

He said: "Our demand is that Devon and Cornwall Police work with Devon County Council to provide the resources to police the bus gates, using video evidence and random but frequent patrols.

"The council has decided on putting this scheme in, and the police know about it and should be enforcing it.

"It shouldn't be for a group of local parents and residents to police it."