Road-narrowing bollards to be removed after damaging hundreds of cars

2022-08-09

Traffic-calming bollards that were erected to stop HGVs using road will be removed by council after damaging hundreds of cars over a decade

Hundreds of cars have been damaged by the road-narrowing bollards in Watford
Woodmere Avenue resident Tim Vigor, 53, recorded crashes to raise awareness
Victims of the decade-old bollards include a police van which tilted sideways
Herts County Council have now pledged to remove two bollards and move four

A council has been forced to remove width-restriction bollards they erected on a narrow stretch of residential road after hundreds of car crashed into and scraped against them.

As the bollards are so close together that many cars – including a police van – often collide with the width restriction and end up on two wheels.

The road narrowing bollards were installed in Watford, Hertfordshire, over a decade ago in a bid by the council to stop HGVs using the road.

But over the years the deterrent on Woodmere Avenue has written off countless cars due to the width of the road and the bollards being too close to the edge of the kerbs.

Resident Tim Vigor, 53, has recorded scores of unsuspecting drivers colliding with the restriction over the past few years to help raise awareness of the issue – with one clip showing a group trying to right a car on its side at night.

And locals have been campaigning to have the bollards removed not long since they were installed over a decade ago.

The bollards at the end of residential Woodmere Avenue in Watford were installed over a decade ago to prevent lorries from driving down – but they have been the cause of hundreds of damaged cars

As the bollards are so narrow that many cars – including a police van (left) – often collide with the width restriction on Woodmere Avenue in Watford and end up on two wheels

Resident Tim Vigor, 53, has recorded scores of unsuspecting road users colliding with the restriction over the past few years to help raise awareness of the issue

Hertfordshire County Council has now pledged to remove two of the bollards and relocate the remaining four a further six inches away from the road.

However this is only an interim adjustment, with the promise of a Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) camera hoping to completely remove the restrictions by late 2023.

Speaking today, Mr Vigor said: ‘They reckon they won’t get cameras here until next year.

‘They’re going to take a bollard away on each side and move the remaining four back six inches to give it a bit more space.

‘The bollards that are there are square and filled with concrete and they’re changing them to round ones.’

He added: ‘As a temporary fix I’m happy because they are acknowledging the problem and starting to do something about it.

‘Every day there is plastic everywhere from bits that have been ripped off cars.

‘Literally hundreds have crashed on it.

‘I want them to take away the whole thing altogether and put a camera down at the end of the road so that drivers get big fines.

‘I’m happy because things are moving but if they don’t see it through I wont be.’

Mr Vigor’s CCTV has recorded vehicle after vehicle approaching the narrow lane both slow and fast – yet most still mounting the kerb on the passengers side and brutally slamming into bollards.

Watford locals locals have been campaigning to have the bollards removed not long since they were installed over a decade ago

‘Literally hundreds have crashed on it,’ said mr Vigor. Hertfordshire County Council has now pledged to remove two of the bollards and relocate the remaining four a further six inches away from the road

Social media users were mixed in their response to the news.

Peter Black said: ‘It seems change is on the way.’

Andrew Melvin said: ‘It will be a sad day, this is the gift that keeps giving.’

Jay Evans said: ‘People just need to learn to drive properly.’

Nigel Edmunds said: ‘Get rid of it.’

Flyers given out to residents about after Hertfordshire County Council agreed to widen the width restriction on Woodmere Avenue in Watford

The road plans for the new width-restriction bollards on Woodmere Avenue

A spokesperson for Hertfordshire County Council today said: ‘We all know the current situation is not ideal, and we have been engaging with residents, councillors and the local MP to discuss alternatives to the existing bollards.

‘The alterations will see the kerbs upgraded and the bollards set back six inches from the kerb. One of the three sets of bollards will also be removed entirely.

‘We hope this measure will help address local residents’ concerns while we develop and consult on a longer-term option to replace the physical width restriction with a camera-enforced weight restriction.’

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