Regeneration bollards in Front Street, Acomb, branded 'disastrous'

Locals have hit out over the work carried out in Front Street, Acomb, York.  

More than 1,200 residents and businesses in Acomb responded to a consultation by City of York Council in 2021 over how they wanted the shopping area to improve to support economic growth.

The residents asked for the street to look more appealing: to be opened up with new seating areas, more trees, and level paving to make it more accessible for the elderly and people who use wheelchairs.

Resident blocked by the bollards (Image: Vicki Hill)

The work began at the end of January this year - costing £395,000. However, residents feel that the street now looks like a “military zone”.

Read Next: 

• York: Railway shed in Holgate Road collapses through wall
• York: Bishopthorpe Bridge found to be substandard

The area has been split down the middle with rows of black steel bollards which residents say prevent easy access around the street.

The cycle parking area has also been removed, although the City of York council has said that this is not permenant.

Acomb resident, Vicki Hill, has set up a campaign called ‘What a load of bollards’, in the hope that the bollards can be removed.

She said: “Everyone is in shock. This is the one area of York where traffic was not the issue. Cars can only come down the main street at restricted times of the day and most simply drive round the outside.

“The bollards are answering a problem that simply doesn’t exist and no one can work out why on earth they are there.

“We’re also at a loss to understand why, when all councils should be encouraging sustainable transport, they’ve removed the main area of cycle parking on the street.

“Such a waste of money and the chance to really do something wonderful to encourage people to use the shops and businesses and keep the high street alive.

“It’s a horrible example of the very worst backward thinking by planners and has pretty much ruined what was one of the nicest areas of York.”

Street sign outside Cats Protection in Front Street (Image: Vicki Hill)

Another Acomb resident added: “I’m stunned. Completely against any modern design thinking for community regeneration or interactive community space.”

A spokesperson for City of York Council said: "A decision of the Executive Director for Place, dated November 2022, allocated UK Shared Prosperity Funds to improve Acomb Front Street's public realm.

“Having regard to both the public engagement and council strategy, the funding will enable the replacement of bollards, paving and drainage, improvements to signage and the provision of a new traffic gate.

“The previous cycle racks have not been removed permanently and we hope to trial new accessible benches and cycle racks in the future."

Residents have also complained that Front Street is now less accessible.

They have said that the pavement kerbs have been raised, and along with the bollards, they feel that the street is now less inclusive to those who are elderly, disabled, or cycle.

Cycle parking area gone in Front Street (Image: Vicki Hill)

Acomb resident and wheelchair user, Jennifer Stanley, has found that getting from one side of the street to the other is now “virtually impossible".

She said: "What a missed opportunity to make Front Street welcome to everyone.

“I now have to try to get my chair round bollards as well as searching for dropped kerbs.”