A SERIOUS accident took place in March this year (2015) when a car accidentally moved forward from its parking space in the Market Place striking a pedestrian and crashing into Cooplands bakery.
The accident victim was left with a severely injured foot, unable to walk and requiring treatment for most of this year.
Following the accident, the injured pedestrian went online to organise an e-petition to get bollards installed at the Market Place to prevent such an accident being repeated. With over 130 signatures that petition is gaining support.
The Hedon Blog consultation on Bollards – an initiative suggested by Councillor John Dennis – sought to capture the views of those in favour and those against installing bollards. A straw poll showed almost equal numbers in favour (58) as against (60).
Significantly, forty three people submitted their reasons and opinions on why they voted the way they did.
In summary; opinion polarised around doing something about the perceived risk of accidents particularly the risk to smaller children, and those who thought that the bollards were an over-reaction to the accident and might themselves cause problems.
By far the biggest concern from those voting YES to bollards was the risk to toddlers, small children and frail pedestrians from any similar accidents. The accident happened at 3.20pm and many respondents were alarmed that it could have been a child walking home from school who could have been injured, or even a toddler walking by. As a result of the incident there is now a fear from some parents of future accident “I use the local shops everyday and have to leave my pram outside as it won’t fit into many of the shops… at the moment I feel vulnerable (to the threat of another similar incident)” said one respondent. Others were similarly concerned of the perceived risk of prams, bikes, scooters and mobility scooter riders being future casualties.
Those voting NO were concerned that one unfortunate accident was prompting an overreaction that would look unsightly and actually cause obstacles on the narrow path that pedestrians would have to dodge or bump in to. Respondents said that problems caused by children playing around them, dogs being tied to them, and pedestrians stepping into the parking spaces to get by would mean there was still a risk of accidents and of people being trapped between car bumpers and the bollards.
We have listed the various issues raised by YES and NO voters below:
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Do you support the idea of Bollards in Hedon Market Place? |
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| Yes | No | |
| Safety first before aesthetics or damage to vehicles.
Bollards could be designed tastefully. The accident was avoidable. Accident waiting to Risk to toddlers, small children, frail and other pedestrians. What price on a life? Cars pull up to park at speed. Would stop car bumpers overhanging the pavement. Put bollards in the parking area, not the pavement. Provide security for business premises against collision damage. |
One unfortunate/rare accident prompted overreaction.
Would spoil the look of the place. Look awful. Costs money better spent elsewhere. Bollards would become a plaything for children. Bollards are obstacles. Trapping risk between bollards and vehicles. Other dangerous and inconsiderate parking should be dealt with. Raise height of kerb. |
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All the responses have now been sent to the three East Riding Councillors (Cllrs Mike Bryan, John Dennis and Sue Steel) and copied into Hedon Town Council. We will keep you updated with further progress.
The BOLLARDS issue is to be a subject of discussion at the Hedon Town Council meeting on Thursday (28th May 2015) during the Financial & General Purposes Committee.
The first formal council meetings since the elections take place from 7:15pm following the Hedon Penny Throwing Ceremony.
Hull interchange has bollards around the bus park.I have had a word with a bus driver who said the bollards can take the impact of a bus.They might bend a little but can take a decent beating.They are only a little taller than the bollards already in market place.Maybe something like this would help.
Bollards in the Market Place – Hedon Blog I have an update
Following our meeting on 24th April with 2 senior officers from ERYC who have made several suggestions, I have sent a copy of this email to the Hedon Town Council for this to be discuss urgently on the next agenda possible.
Hi Ray if you remember I started the action see below The Path is the responsibility of the ERYC, the parking area is owned by Hedon TC, so I put it on the agenda at Hedon TC for all councillors to be informed of the site visit and requested Senior officers from ERYC to attend the visit that took place on Friday 24th April a Senior road safety officer and a Senior Highways Engineer was in attendance , they have looked at the situation in great detail and will report back to me of their Intentions, so until then I will not comment on what is best to solve the Situation.
Once an accident like this has happened we shouldn`t wait for the next it could be a child or a Mum or Dad with a pram. This one by the look of it was serious enough.
The outcome of our straw poll, and the many comments submitted have been forwarded to the senior ERYC Highways Officers who came to have a look at the Market Place situation a few weeks ago.
Cllr. Mike Bryan I asked for them to come up with their recommendations in the very near future
John P. Dennis
Cllr. E.R.Y.C.
Ward Member for S.W.Holderness