BOLLARDS will still be erected at the entrance to a Wanborough recreation ground, despite protests from residents.

Last week householders in Chapel Lane raised safety concerns about plans for Swindon Borough Council to install removable bollards at the entrance to the Lower Rec designed to prevent wayward parkers.

But following a meeting with Wanborough Parish Council on Monday residents were disappointed to hear the plans will still go ahead, fearing that as a consequence vehicles, including dust carts, which commonly use the entrance as a turning-circle will now have to reverse down the single-carriageway road, posing a risk to pedestrians, cyclists, and other vehicles.

Barry Hillier, who lives in Chapel Lane, said: “The construction of the bollards was delayed so the residents could share their views with the parish council on Monday.

“Many residents went along to share their concerns that it is a safety risk.

“At the end of the meeting the chairman to the parish council said the decision had already been taken. But I think there is a real risk to other road users. Chapel Lane is a single carriageway road but vehicles like the dustcart use the entrance to the Lower Rec to turn around.

“If there are bollards there they will have to reverse all the way down the road to get out, which is a health and safety issue."

“It’s true that parking has been an issue but this isn’t the solution, since it is just going to cause more problems.

Gary Sumner, chairman of the Wanborough Parish Council, said the decision was taken and voted for unanimously by the parish council at an earlier meeting to install removable bollards to prevent parked cars, making access for emergency vehicles to the rec impossible.

“We listened the the views of the residents and while we thanked them for their views the information they gave us was nothing new,” he said.

“The space is not a designated turning area and never has been, and Swindon Borough Council’s highways department did come out and approved of the plans, as did PCSO Rory Draper.

“We also had a number of representatives from several local groups including the Scouts who said they were supportive of the plans and reiterated how rude some of the residents had been when asked to remove their vehicles so they could access the rec.

“The entrance to the lower rec is just big enough to fit a car and is not big enough for a Swindon Borough Council refuse lorry to turn around in it.

“If there’s an injury, or something happens, the only way the emergency services can access the site is through that entrance.

“But for a long time the same people have parked at the entrance to the rec, blocking access for any emergency vehicles. We have asked the culprits not to but they have continued to park there.

“At the May parish council it was proposed and voted for unanimously to introduce removable bollards that can be taken out so that mowers can go in to cut the grass and things but will prevent people from parking in that space.”