HYDRAULIC bollards which residents claim regularly fail and have even led to people being taken to hospital are costing thousands of pounds to run each year.

By Victoria Knowles

Victoria.knowles@eveningstar.co.uk

HYDRAULIC bollards which residents claim regularly fail and have even led to people being taken to hospital are costing thousands of pounds to run each year.

The system, in Old Norwich Road, Ipswich, which is designed to only let buses through, is electronically operated but people living in the area say they are a nuisance and it would be cheaper to have the gates manned.

Scott Morgans is on the Claydon and Whitton rural parish council said: "They constantly fail in the down position so anyone can go up and down the road. They simply do not do their job.

"It is a designated bus route but there is no police enforcement and we often get motorbikes hurtling up and down there.

"I am sure it would be cheaper to have to men operating them."

Mr Morgans, who lives about 100 yards from the bollards in Old Norwich Road said they also lead to damage in the area.

"We get 42 tonne trucks coming down here then they can't turn round so they try to do it in the road and damage fences and kerbs.

"We went to lots of public meeting before they were installed about five years ago and said it would not work."

Tom Walne, who lives near-by, has keys for the gates as he has farm land the other side.

"It is a very complicated system and surely it would be so much better to have someone sitting at the gates ready to let people through. It would also appear that this is a far cheaper option.

"Personally I don't have problems because I have keys but there have been accident with cars having their front suspension damaged and I can remember one pregnant woman getting stuck there and having to be taken to hospital.

"They often fail and the top set were out of operation for well over a year. It is a waste of good money."

Karen Smith, senior engineer for Ipswich Borough Council said: "The bus gates were installed to make bus journeys in this area easier and improve journey times. This has proved to be successful.

"There have been no recorded road accidents at this site over the last few years, and although we are aware of some vandalism this has reduced since the additional street lighting was put in.

"We are planning to implement CCTV at the two gates at some point in the near future, allowing the site to be monitored and its operation will then be reviewed. We are also continuing to work on improving the maintenance of the gates."

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