Safety bollards agreed for Luton's Kingsway Depot despite disabled access fears

Bollards are to be installed outside properties near the borough council’s Kingsway depot in Luton to improve safety and prevent illegal parking on a footway, a meeting heard.

A 100-signature petition was received opposing the move because it would restrict access to disabled residents at one of the houses.

Several health and safety complaints were made to the local authority by various depot users, according to a report to its petitions and representations board.

“These complaints highlighted concerns at the junction of Laporte Way, Kingsway and the depot,” said the report.

LBC’s senior highways engineer Mark Barnett: “It’s not possible to put fold down lockable bollards in this location. It would pose a trip safety risk to pedestrians.

“The council can’t allow residents to manage who can access an off-street parking area from the highway. Neither does it have the budget or resources to maintain such a facility.

“A fold down bollard wouldn’t stop vehicles being parked on this land and address that issue. The homeowners couldn’t prevent this happening. The reasons against one bollard versus multiple would be the same.”

The lead petitioner wondered where her 94-year-old father and her brother would park.

Mr Barnett explained: “There’s a parking bay close to the Kingsway depot. We could allocate a space as a disabled bay. It’s within about 20m of the property and should maintain reasonable access.”

Labour Biscot councillor Haji Abid, who chairs the board, referred to the resident’s disability requirement, saying: “We made a decision because of this to have some form of removable bollard to help this disabled person.”

Mr Barnett replied; “It was the officer’s suggestion for an investigation, but it wasn’t a decision. There’s no legal justification for doing so and no maintenance budget or liability for this.

“Vehicles are parking on the back of the verge and parking on the footway causing an obstruction.

“There’s a safety risk because when vehicles leave the Kingsway depot they can’t see round the parked cars which are in the visual splay of an approach to the roundabout.

“Even with a bollard, other vehicles could still park on the footway in an inconsiderate and unsafe manner.”

The petitioner added: “The layby is quite far for someone with arthritis. A few weeks ago, there was a big fire at the depot and we had to evacuate the premises.

“My father was hospitalised because of inhaling toxic fumes. The parking layby is next to the depot, if that happened again.”

Labour Farley councillor Dave Taylor reassured her, saying: “That’s a separate issue and hopefully that won’t happen again. It was a one-off.”

Labour High Town councillor Umme Ali asked: “If we don’t install bollards, is it setting a precedent for other residents?

“If we install them, we need a suggestion for the family with a disabled bay nearby.”

Mr Barnett confirmed it would set a precedent, adding: “We can provide more disabled bays if necessary.”

Councillors agreed a recommendation to prevent parking outside 83 to 81 Kingsway by installing bollards and to supply the disabled bay.