Bollards too narrow for council's own cargo bike trailers were installed for "safety" reasons... says the council

Slighly different angle

This is the other side of the bridge, the outer edges of the path fall away sharply into dirt and the hedges have been cut recently, they will be closer to the bollards in the summer (or after a few years of neglect before they are trimmed again).

This is one of the bridges further along the canal that have been updated this morning to a similar layout, again you probably wouldn't have gotten a larger trailer / trike / mobility scooter around the edge before it was updated.

What a fudge. If this really is the only way they can stop their maintenance team from driving over the bridges, surely just the outer two bollards would suffice. Most of the redway network has two yellow bollards where access control is required; why deviate from this approach?

Thanks. That's handy to know. I think I could get the trailer through that OK but still a pretty dumb design. I would have to go from one side of the redway to the other which might be awkward with people coming the other way but that's pretty typical on redways.

And if this is about safety to stop vehicles using the redway network this is one of the bollards on the redway by another bridge Steve mentioned in the original article.  It is an older bridge 'managed' by the canal and river trust that also has a removable bollard that isn't locked.

This is on the redway though, it is locked but the bracket is broken so you can just lift the bollard out.  There are numerous broken bollards or ones without locks that have been like that for years now.

Thanks for the local update!

As always - wouldn't have been much harder even just to remove the bollards either side, would it?  Pretty sure a single middle bollard would a) be less in the way of the desire lines and b) still be plenty obvious to any (putative) driver that this is not for cars.  And in practice make the gaps narrow enough so you couldn't get through in a car.

But (some) councils...

I don't know. I'm thinking just put a weight limit sign and no motor vehicle sign and a camera instead of barriers or bollards. Anyone caught out can pay the fine plus costs of a survey and any repairs needed.

Well yes, in an ideal world... unfortunately if they've already had issues maybe using cameras rather than a bollard (as few as possible of course) here might mean everyone has have months without a route, waiting for a check / fix?

Also it is not unknown for motorists somehow to avoid sanction even though cars have number plates.  What am I saying - it's actually quite common.  Cloned plates, obscured plates, rental / work vehicles, "otherwise law abiding" motorists given the benefit of doubt / hardship, police who don't give a stuff...

That would be quite seriously expensive.

The bollard install probably only costs £1k-£1500.

mattw wrote:

That would be quite seriously expensive.

The bollard install probably only costs £1k-£1500.

Spend more money on something that is fit-for-purpose or less money on something that isn't fit-for-purpose. Which is the more efficient way of spending taxpayers' money?

Or alternatively, leave it as it was, and spend no money leaving something already fit-for-purpose.

ShutTheFrontDawes wrote:

Spend more money on something that is fit-for-purpose or less money on something that isn't fit-for-purpose. Which is the more efficient way of spending taxpayers' money? Or alternatively, leave it as it was, and spend no money leaving something already fit-for-purpose.

Sounds like the council's drivers / maintenance contractors - and their street designers - aren't fit for purpose...

TBH if they have had more than one issue a single bollard in the middle would appear to be enough, while not inconveniencing everyone else (at least until enlightenment dawns).  Otherwise you could have all the signs and cameras you liked and still be paying for new bridges.  While everyone waits to use the routes... As nogs has clearly shown though even bollards need maintenance e.g. someone to check up on them periodically!

I went for a walk the other way around the North Willen Lake today, on the way back home there is an access road with a single lockable bollard on it to stop unwanted vehicles driving into the park.

So a single bollard is enough for a road, but they need 3 to block access to a bridge that is probably narrower...

I'm for bollards on the traditional Redway Spacing, which is just fine.

ie narrow - bollard - wide - bollard - narrow.

TBH this bollard is doing a fine job - because it's still there.

Hopefully we'll eventually get to a point where we don't need stuff in everyone's way just because a few folks aren't observant / expect to drive everywhere.

Massive concrete barriers and large planters on West Shore road didn't stop folks moving them to facilitate parking.  Could have been the folks who come there every year with their camper / caravans of course.

Cheers nogs.

No - some non-standard cycles and mobility aids would be at risk of tipping (eg trikes), and others would struggle due to length.

Really, it's not hard to avoid all the problems by just getting it right. 

Absolutely.  I mean, the disabled (or even a transport cyclist!) could just work out some way round on the grass, or ask someone else for help, right, or take a different route...

On the flip side more generally there is usually nothing stopping drivers taking a different route if one has been partially reclaimed (or even just narrowed a bit) to provide for other modes.  Or going slower for a few seconds - or even waiting another 20 seconds at some lights.  But no, it's "trapped in our homes / neighbourhood".  Strangely there is a purpose-built network almost everywhere for driving with multiple route choices.

Standard human stuff.  We are acutely sensitive to our own convenience and disregard or struggle to comprehend the impact on others.

The edges of the path have subsided making the outside edge routes not very nice.  It isn't actually bad at this bridge compared to some of the others.  The other issue is that it is worse on the other side of the bridge.  Uploaded 

This is true, a 1.2m width would exlude most undwanted 4wheelers

What is wrong with the bollards in the later pics. No indication of scale of course so I maybe wrong but they look wide enough for most things to get through with a bit of care. Getting off and pushing those cargo set ups would, I would consider, be fair enough. 

For a start, staggered bollards are recommended against in the National Guidelines - because a straight approach and path through is required.

There's just no reason to break what is a perfectly good standard practice in MK.

Someone is poisoning the porridge somewhere and trying to find red herrings for not doing a simple, acceptable job. Needs to be faced down and banished, or it will keep happening.

Has Milton Keynes grown some NIMBY Gammon councillors?