FALMOUTH'S NEW TRAFFIC BOLLARD - DEFEATS PURPOSE

5.10.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 27th Jul 2009

A newly erected bollard in Falmouth's Church Street designed to restrict traffic flow through the town centre isn't working according to Lib Dem Prospective MP Terrye Teverson.

After a long campaign local people finally saw the bollard installed last week. Designed to prevent cars flouting the day time ban on unauthorised traffic using the pedestrian priority main street, the bollard retracts for Falmouth's free bus, taxis and residents but is supposed to block all other traffic.

"This type of system works really well in Truro, but here in Falmouth the bollard to retracting too quickly" Mrs Teverson explained.

"Many people in the town have told me that the suggested swipe card has not been incorporated. The bollard simply works on a delayed system which means queuing traffic triggers its automatic retraction, encouraging abuse. Basically it's still quicker to wait for the bollard and drive through the town centre, rather than go around - this clearly defeats the purpose. The bollard should make unauthorised cars wait a lot longer which would actually work as a deterrent."

Chris Smith of the Town Forum said that in a 5 minute period on Saturday, 3 cars were seen to wait to trigger their unauthorised passage through the town.

"Until the bollard is upgraded so that only authorised vehicles are able to retract it, we only have half a solution", he said.