New Peterborough city centre bollards ‘to prevent unauthorised parking and improve pedestrian safety’

The city council put in two rows of bollards in December in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

The bollards cost £5,600 and were funded by the Government’s Build Back Better initiative which is helping local authorities recover from the economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

A council spokesperson said: “These are a temporary measure to prevent persistent instances of unauthorised parking of vehicles on the square, to improve pedestrian security and safety and to maximise the space available for social distancing. The existing bollards were insufficient for this purpose.

“The situation will be closely monitored and reviewed on a regular basis as part of the council’s wider ‘Build Back Better’ strategy following lockdown.”

Asked for more information on the safety element, the spokesperson replied: “The safety element comes from preventing vehicles and pedestrians from encountering one another in what is a pedestrian area. This is especially important if the space is to be more widely used for outdoor dining opportunities in the future.”

The council is currently pushing ahead with plans to develop a café culture in the city centre at a cost of £983,000 after receiving £800,000 of funding.