Local police officers have asked councils to look at installing hydraulic bollards to stop people driving in Spalding’s market place when they’re not meant to, saying their attempts to enforce it are met with abuse.
PC Craig Lockton asked members of Spalding Town Forum last week whether policing the traffic restriction order (TRO), which restricts most vehicles from driving through Market Place and Hall Place between 10am and 4pm, Monday to Saturday, was still a priority given the difficulty in policing it.
Fixed penalty notices are issued to vehicles breaching the order made in 1995, but given the policing can’t happen every day, councillors said there was little evidence it was having an effect.
“PCSOs have been stopping vehicles and issuing tickets,” PC Lockton said. “It received a positive reaction from the public who saw it being enforced.
“However the majority of the time it was met with hostility, aggression and raised voices when explaining to drivers they were getting a ticket.
“Vehicles are literally stacking up in a line having breached the order.”
Spalding beat manager PC Joe Cady told the meeting the police had visited and spoken to Peterborough City Council about the hydraulic bollards and intercom system used in that city’s centre which he said would cost £20,000 to £25,000 plus ongoing maintenance costs that would lower for permitted vehicles.
“It’s something to consider long term as it seems to be quite effective,” he said.
Coun Christine Lawton said the council asked about bollards 10-years-ago but were told by the county council they were “too expensive”.
She said she’d been verbally abused and “nearly physically abused” after walking in front of vehicles flouting the traffic order.
“There’s a sense of entitlement,” she said. “Drivers think if I want to drive through it I will do.
“There is a sign saying no vehicles and people treat it with contempt.
“I’ve had people with blue badges who say I can park where I want any time “well know you can’t”.
“We either say we’re going to do something or it’s a free for all.
“But people need to feel safe in the town and at the moment nobody feels safe.”
Putting items in to block the road are a non-starter as access still has to be granted to emergency services and postal vehicles with the forum hearing delivery drivers are “a grey area”.
Forum chair Coun Roger Gambba-Jones said the district council had been reprimanded by the county council for doing that previously after Coun Lord Gary Porter joked about putting an old bin lorry in the way
But other councillors pointed out many people wanted the traffic order to be abandoned with Coun Elizabeth Sneath saying that included town centre traders.
Coun Gambba-Jones said: “To override a traffic order you have to have a consultation and if you get one objection, and in this case I guarantee it would be the Spalding Civic Society, that puts the county council in an extremely difficult position of having to go through a formal process which is very, very expensive or an expense they would not wish to go to at this stage.”
He continued: “Our concern is for the safety of our residents.
“We’ve got away with it so far, but it only takes one accident to open up a can of worms and people saying why didn’t the district or county council do something and inevitably why didn’t the police do something.
“All of the talking we’ve done goes for nought when people ask those questions of us.
“It’s incredibly frustrating when we say we’ve tried and tried.
“We just have to try a little bit harder and we will keep trying and looking for solutions.”
