Work starts on anti-terror bollards in Colliergate, York

The bottom of Colliergate, at its junction with St Saviourgate, was closed off on Monday (October 9) as workers moved in to start installing more bollards.

The end of the road is closed off with narrow pedestrian access down one side of the barriers.

Signs say the work is set to last six weeks - until November 17.

The sliding bollards are part of City of York Council’s hostile vehicle mitigation scheme, brought in by the previous Liberal Democrat-Green administration to combat the threat of ‘vehicle as weapon attacks’.

The move followed advice from both counter terrorism and North Yorkshire Police and aims to protect city centres access points from attack.

But some traders in the street, speaking with The Press on Monday, raised concerns.

The bottom of Colliergate in York has been closed to traffic as work starts in install ant-terrorism bollards

Jessica, who owns news agents No.1-4 News, situated adjacent to the road works, said she had already felt the affects.

She said: “I need to do deliveries in the morning and the council gave me a spot I could pull my vehicle onto whilst this all goes on, but now they’ve blocked it off so what am I going to do?

“We were only shown plans a week ago which hasn’t been very helpful.”

READ MORE:

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She added that she feared she would "lose footfall massively" during the six week period of the works, adding that some customers were already confused over whether the shop was still open.

She added: “I’m not saying it (anti-terror work) is not important, but once you lose footfall it’s very hard to get it back.

“I know it’s happening all over the city but it’s us independent businesses that are hit the hardest by it.”

A staff member at the St Leonard’s Hospice charity shop - located just yards from the barriers in Colliergate - said the roadworks hadn't yet affected customer numbers, but had been "loud".

She added: "Tourists who don’t know the city or this street may see what’s going on and think the street is shut off.”

The bottom of Colliergate in York has been closed to traffic as work starts in install ant-terrorism bollards

The latest round of roadworks comes after Shambles reopened at the weekend following the installation of bollards at the bottom of the historic street.

The Press has approached City of York Council for comment on the latest work in Colliergate.

The council’s executive member for economy and transport, Cllr Pete Kilbane, previously said the bollards aimed to keep people safe.

He said: “It sends a clear message to would-be terrorists and all in the city centre that we’re taking action, we won’t put people or businesses at risk and that York continues to be one of the UK’s safest cities.”

Neil Ferris, director of place at City of York Council, speaking during some of the earlier works, said: “We recognise and apologise for the impact that this essential work is having on businesses and residents in the city centre.

“We have worked hard with the contractor to maximise safe public access – often in confined spaces - and to minimise the length of time the work will take while meeting standards and without adding significant costs to the programme.”