BOLLARDS are among the possible solutions being put forward in a bid to protect the crumbling pavements on Leamington’s Parade.
Highway chiefs at Warwickshire County Council this week told The Observer they were considering the measure to stop drivers illegally parking on the town’s main shopping street and help improve the sorry state of the pavements.
Last summer we revealed more than £36,000 had been forked out in the previous three years on repairs to the hundreds of cracked and uneven paving slabs.
Figures showed up to £15,000 was being spent from Warwickshire County Council’s highway maintenance budget every year on repairing the damage.
But the vicious circle continued as delivery vans and cars carried on pulling up on the pavements despite clear signs indicating no parking at any time.
And even council contractors sent to repair the pavements were parking their trucks on the pavement – adding to the damage.
The Observer has long since called for action and finally council chiefs are sitting up and taking notice.
The move came after we highlighted a number of recent pavement parkers outside our offices. Not for the first time we also snapped workmen sent to replace broken slabs parking illegally.
And when we challenged the council, they admitted a debate on the issue was necessary and prevention measures – including bollards – were among those being considered.
A county council spokesman said: “An instruction has been given to our highway maintenance contractor, Balfour Beatty that their operatives should not park vehicles on The Parade footway at any time while they are carrying out repairs.
“Vehicles parking there for loading purposes can be prosecuted providing there is a police or parking enforcement resource in place to enforce when this activity may be taking place.”
Although he admitted it was difficult to stop large vehicles parking on the pavement, he conceded something had to be done.
He added: “There does need to be a debate on whether such measures as bollards could be put in place to prevent damage to the slabs along The Parade.
“Discussions are currently ongoing internally around bollards as well as wider discussion with residents but no decisions have been taken on this at the moment.”
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