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Moment desperate locals form ‘human bollards’ to stop cars racing down their street after vandals ripped out poles
THIS is the moment desperate locals used themselves as “human bollards” to stop cars racing down their street.
Residents on Divinity Road in Oxford took matters into their own hands after vandals ripped out poles in their neighbourhood erected to keep pedestrians safe from speeding drivers.
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The bollards, put up by Oxfordshire County Council, make local streets into pedestrianised areas.
However, they have been vandalised - with many cut down and some even set on fire.
A recent video shows locals literally standing up to drivers by taking the poles’ place on the roads.
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Crowds of neighbours are seen lining the roads while a vexed driver is stuck behind them.
The clip was posted on Twitter, with the caption: "Ordinary residents in Oxford are now acting as 'human bollards' to protect cyclists, pedestrians and children from drivers who flout the rules, and vandals who have destroyed the physical bollards.
"Extraordinary, really."
Cllr Andrew Gant, Cabinet Member for Highways Management at OCC, said: “It is disappointing that a few individuals see fit to damage the LTN bollards and their fittings.
“We will continue to make safe and reinstate all damaged bollards that have been forcibly knocked down or uprooted.
“Vandalism of this kind is a serious criminal offence and correcting it takes a lot of time and effort from our highway officers.
“To ensure the safety of other road users, it is necessary for damaged bollards to be removed and the area made safe until a new bollard can be fitted.
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“For this reason, metal plates have been fitted temporarily at these locations as a safety measure whilst bollards are being repaired or replaced. They are installed to protect road users and prevent further vandalism.
“In the meantime, we are also exploring other solutions to ensure that the LTNs continue to work on the ground, including looking at options to install heavy duty bollards, and options for automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras.”
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