A campaigner dressed as a traffic cone has urged council bosses to get rid of “ugly” bollards on Gosforth High Street.
Dozens of bollards were installed along the route in 2020 as part of measures across the city to give road space over to pedestrians and cyclists and make social distancing easier during the Covid pandemic crisis, on a street that is among the busiest and most polluted in Newcastle. But the controversial scheme has drawn ire for numerous reasons – with complaints that they have worsened traffic congestion problems, put shoppers off and hurt businesses, and been confusing for people using the new zones.
Conservative Party activist Doc Anand, who has donned a fancy dress costume to campaign on the high street this month, delivered a petition with 900 signatures to Newcastle City Council on Friday calling for the bollards to be removed. The former GP, who worked in Gosforth for more than 30 years, said that the wands are “just not a long-term solution”, urging city transport officials to consult locals and come up with a new vision that would be better for cyclists, pedestrians, vehicles, and businesses.
