Traffic calming schemes are a load of bollards

Government guidelines suggest that rising bollards breach official safety rules. Several thousand accidents and injuries have occurred since they were introduced 14 years ago into UK city centres.

In May 2006, a 63 year old motorist died in Cambridge after crashing into a metal rising bollard, the most recent case was last month in Manchester when metal bollards tore through a woman's car narrowly missing her nine month old daughter.

This incident has left Manchester council considering the future of these poles saying that they should not be capable of rising underneath a passing car. The conclusion was that safety should go before traffic calming. Some councils, Cambridge for example, say that warnings are in place but critics say that these are not explicit enough. 

Date - 04/12/2006