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At last, council follows up on bollards promise
A YEAR on from chaotic scenes which saw a crazed knifeman plough his car into shoppers in Peterborough, rising bollards are finally set to be installed on a pedestrianised street.
A YEAR on from chaotic scenes which saw a crazed knifeman plough his car into shoppers in Peterborough, rising bollards are finally set to be installed on a pedestrianised street.Mayhem arrived in the city centre on January 5, last year when paranoid schizophrenic Mohammed Zouaoui sped through Long Causeway before stabbing a man who tried to stop him.
In the wake of the terrifying attack, for which Zouaoui was confined to a secure hospital, city councillors said plans to block off the street were being stepped up and remote-controlled electronic bollards would be in place by "the spring or the summer" of 2008.
On the first anniversary of the incident, the council has apologised for the delay and promises the barriers will be installed within the next three months.
Stab victim Nick Petruzziello (23), who was honoured with a Pride In Peterborough award for his bravery, said it was "about time" the measures were taken.
Related:
Breaking news: Shopper stabbed in city centre melee, 5 January 2008.
Full story: Afternoon at the shops is turned into terror, 7 January 2008.
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He said: "It has been a long time since then and something similar could easily have happened again in the meantime.
"I would have thought with something so serious, action would have been taken straight away, but I'm glad to hear the bollards are finally being installed. It will make the city centre a safer place."
Last January, police and the city council acknowledged a problem with the number of cars being illegally parked in Long Causeway, Church Street and Cathedral Square.
When the Long Causeway attack brought matters to a head, there were renewed calls for traffic to be blocked from the pedestrianised street.
Wayne Fitzgerald, the council's cabinet member for the environment and transport, said the parking situation had improved but the bollards would make the city centre safer.
He said: "A year ago it wasn't illegal to park in Cathedral Square, Church Street and Long Causeway, it was only illegal to drive your car on those streets.
"But last summer we amended the traffic regulations preventing parking in the area and in the six to nine months since then, the situation has markedly improved.
"At the moment, however, we are still relying on drivers adhering to the rules – but once the bollards are in, they will be prevented from gaining access without good reason. That will safeguard the safety of pedestrians."
The electronic bollards will be remotely controlled by CCTV operators, and they will be installed at the same time as rising bollards in the taxi rank in Fitzwilliam Street.
The total cost of the two projects is expected to run into six figures.
City council traffic manager Peter Tebb said the work had been delayed until this year to avoid disrupting the Great Eastern Run in October and the busy Christmas period.
He said: "A contract for the work has now been awarded. The bollards are due to be installed before the end of March."
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