Safety concerns after Bexhill bollards flattened

Campaigners are concerned for people's safety at a Bexhill seafront road crossing after the keep left bollards were flattened for the third time.
The keep left bollards on Marina, Bexhill, were flattened by a car. Photo courtesy of Bexhill Alliance SUS-170119-105223001The keep left bollards on Marina, Bexhill, were flattened by a car. Photo courtesy of Bexhill Alliance SUS-170119-105223001
The keep left bollards on Marina, Bexhill, were flattened by a car. Photo courtesy of Bexhill Alliance SUS-170119-105223001

The bollards on the crossing island on Marina, opposite the De La Warr Pavilion, were driven over by a car sometime between Thursday night and Friday morning last week.

Bexhill Alliance, which has previously raised concerns about the Marina refurbishment scheme, believes the council’s choice of bollard puts people at risk.

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A spokesman said: “Does someone have to be seriously injured or possibly killed before East Sussex County Council takes seriously the concerns raised by the Bexhill Alliance in the last year about the public being at risk due to poor design, specification and construction?”

Bexhill Alliance believes someone could have been seriously hurt if they were standing on the island when the car went over it. Photo courtesy of Bexhill Alliance SUS-170119-105133001Bexhill Alliance believes someone could have been seriously hurt if they were standing on the island when the car went over it. Photo courtesy of Bexhill Alliance SUS-170119-105133001
Bexhill Alliance believes someone could have been seriously hurt if they were standing on the island when the car went over it. Photo courtesy of Bexhill Alliance SUS-170119-105133001

“Obviously people in wheelchairs or who are partially sighted are the most at risk as they would not have time to take evasive action in the event of an incident.”

The bollards were levelled in June and March last year.

The group suggests the hooped metal bollards should be replaced with standard plastic ones with reflective material as they are ‘safer as they are more obvious, cheaper and quicker to install’.

Bexhill Alliance also wants the council to use the standard bollards in the upcoming Sackville Road roundabout redevelopment.

The standard reflective bollards used on Sackville Road roundabout. Photo courtesy of Bexhill Alliance SUS-170119-105144001The standard reflective bollards used on Sackville Road roundabout. Photo courtesy of Bexhill Alliance SUS-170119-105144001
The standard reflective bollards used on Sackville Road roundabout. Photo courtesy of Bexhill Alliance SUS-170119-105144001
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The county council said the bollards meet national safety standards as well as its aims of the Marina improvement scheme, adding no bollard could withstand a car.

“Our officers have taken a lot of time to speak to members of the Bexhill Alliance about their concerns and to explain the rationale behind the improvement scheme chosen,” a council spokesman said.

“However, the feedback we have received about the Marina improvements has been largely positive and we have no plans to change the details of the scheme at this stage.”

Bexhill Alliance raised fears about safety in January last year when the Marina refurbishment finished, leading to fruitless discussions with the council who rebuffed every concern.

The same bollards were levelled in June, 2016, too. Photo courtesy of Bexhill Alliance SUS-170119-105122001The same bollards were levelled in June, 2016, too. Photo courtesy of Bexhill Alliance SUS-170119-105122001
The same bollards were levelled in June, 2016, too. Photo courtesy of Bexhill Alliance SUS-170119-105122001
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