Controversial bollards could be moved

Bollards which have irked some shoppers on a York street could be removed as part of a second upgrade project.

The poles on Acomb’s Front Street were installed in an initial upgrade in January 2023 but left some residents and business owners unhappy.

In a meeting on Tuesday, the Labour deputy leader of City of York Council Peter Kilbane outlined options for phase two of the works, saying there had been a "mixed response" to the street furniture.

He also said the possibility of pedestrianising Front Street would be explored.

The bollards were installed using £400,000 from the government's Shared Prosperity Fund.

Zeina Chapman, from the What a Load of Bollards Group, previously told the council the obstacles had created a "spiritless strip" as well as claiming businesses were reporting "much lower footfall".

Mr Kilbane told the meeting: “We’re not able, at the moment, to just rip out all the bollards, which I know a lot of people want.

"But actually, from talking to people, quite a lot of people didn’t want that to happen. So there are mixed responses.”

Mr Kilbane added there was a budget set aside "to build on the ambitions of the local community."

The budget for phase two of the development of Front Street is £570,000.

Any work has to start by March 2025, or the money – provided by a government levelling up fund - will no longer be available.

Options for how to develop the area include wider pedestrian crossings, new toilets and improved parking for disabled blue badge holders.

Mr Kilbane said: “There is a desire for a lot of people to have the whole thing pedestrianised with pop-up parks and I share that desire.

“But there are a number of stakeholders involved that you have to consider.”

He added the process of removing a public highway was complicated and time-consuming.

"We definitely won’t have gone through that process before we lose the money in March next year. But we need to explore it, for sure," Mr Kilbane said.

The council said it wanted a fully-costed scheme to be put before its decision-making executive board by the summer.