Residents of a York suburb have reacted with bafflement and anger to an upgrade which has left the high street resembling ‘a military zone’.
Work to improve Front Street in Acomb has done the opposite, say residents, who are shocked by the installation of what one calculated as 100 bollards.
Now they want City of York Council to reverse the plans and think again.
The £395K Front Street project, funded through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, was designed to “address issues highlighted by local residents and businesses”.
It began on 23 January and is set to last four months.
“The overall aim of the works is to improve footfall and experience, by improving public space and its accessibility,” says the council.
But many residents feel it has damaged the Front Street experience.
Resident Vicki Hill told YorkMix: “Everyone’s in deep shock. Traffic wasn’t an issue. So no one can understand what the bollards are for.”
The bollards have divided the street and hemmed people in, she said. Business weren’t expecting bollards, but rather “open areas for people to gather and chat, benches and planting”.
Vicki said: “It looks like a military no-go zone. It’s breaking all the basic rules of modern planning. It’s called street clutter.
“It’s the worst thing you could possibly do to try and keep the high street alive – at a time when we are desperately trying to promote local shops.”
Mattie Bee manages a charity shop on Front Street. She agreed. “It’s been a horrendous waste of money.
“And while the work was being done, us businesses were greatly affected by the lack of footfall it caused.
“Thousands spent on replacing perfectly fine paving slabs and bollards, with paving slabs and bollards – and I still saw a car parked on the path next to the chippy last night so they don’t even work.”
Another Acomb resident said: “I actually cannot believe what a dog’s dinner they’ve made of Front Street.”
Others pointed out that high raised kerbs made the road less accessible to wheelchair users and parents pushing buggies.
People had reacted with “bafflement, anger and real sadness” to what’s been constructed so far, Vicki said.
“It couldn’t be worse. It’s like you’ve asked what would be an absolute disaster for Front Street? And this is what’s happened.”
So what would people like to happen? “All of the bollards removed. A re-think. A pedestrianised area with outside seating for cafes. Benches and trees.”
She has launched a campaign called ‘What a load of bollards’ in the hope that the “military blockade” can be removed and the entire redevelopment started afresh.
A spokesperson for City of York Council said: “A decision of the executive director for place, dated November 2022, allocated UK Shared Prosperity Funds to improve Acomb Front Street’s public realm.
“Having regard to both the public engagement and council strategy, the funding will enable the replacement of bollards, paving and drainage, improvements to signage and the provision of a new traffic gate.”
They added that details of the phased schemes “have been, and remain, available” on the council website here.
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