Precedent for large stone to block highway in place of bollards?

[Amanda McDermott]

Hi all,

Hoping someone might have knowledge of a precedent they can direct me to?

We've been involved in a project to formalise a road closure, on a minor road which has been temporarily closed using large concrete blocks (and no bollards) for over a year. We have sourced large blocks of local stone, which have been placed in the road to act as a barrier. The highways team are now nervous that somebody will drive into them in the dark, and are insisting that we should put bollards in front of them as well, which we're not keen on because the intention was to try and reduce clutter and have a more attractive 'road closure'. They are rejecting suggestions that we could use reflective paint on the stones e.g. https://glowtec.co.uk/reflective-paint/

I'm hoping if we can point to a precedent where something similar has been done it might help to convince them, but nothing springing to mind - does anyone know of such an intervention please?

[Graham Pockett]

Nothing quite like this to provide as an example unfortunately.  Is there a Traffic Regulation Order on this section of road prohibiting motorised vehicles?  

Visibility is an issue that needs to be considered when something changes in a highway or public right of way.  We're moving a staggered barrier on a byway to a different location, and are aware that this will need reflective strips so cyclists don't collide with it in the dark.  The use of natural stone is certainly sympathetic to the surroundings.  Maybe you could attach reflectors directly to the faces of the stones, rather than adding bollards?  

[Amanda McDermott]

Thanks Graham,

Yes there is a TRO, but it is a NCN route, so we do expect cyclists to need to negotiate the route. We suggested both reflective paint, and applying some sort of 'attached reflectors', but unfortunately the traffic engineers said 'we don’t think either of the options are appropriate in the adopted highway in this situation on their own. Drivers need a certain level of consistency in order to identify hazards and these might possibly just confuse drivers'.

[Graham Pockett]

Pity.  I suppose timber or Corten weathering steel bollards would blend in better than steel / cast iron / plastic.  

[Robert Holden]

One suggestion is to build a wall, with gap sufficient cyclists, e.g. a wall of large stones placed on top of each other, or of gabions? The precedent is to left and right of the photograph.

Robert