Bollard removal work finally starts in Exeter after months of delays
By Bradley Gerrard, Local Democracy Reporter
Work to remove a set of bollards that risked the progress of extension work at an Exeter doctor’s surgery has finally got underway after months of back-and-forth.
Pinhoe Surgery has been approaching a vital deadline with building materials for its extension works due to be delivered next month.
But it has needed a set of bollards removed to enable the goods to be delivered.
The bollards are essentially part of the highway, meaning Devon County Council has responsibility for them, however, they are positioned on land owned by Exeter City Council.
This has created a to-and-fro between the two councils, one councillor has claimed, meaning time and resources have been spent deciding who can remove them.
An email chain shown to the Local Democracy Reporting Service states that as far back as April this year, former Pinhoe county councillor, Tracy Adams, believed Devon County Council would remove the bollards.
The emails also show the surgery wanted the bollards removed virtually as soon as they were installed due to their “very poor positioning”.
The bollards take away two parking spaces and have also made it difficult for larger vehicles, such as ambulances and refuse lorries, to access the car park, the email states.
It’s understood the bollards were initially installed as part of a bike rental scheme at Pinhoe Station, but the firm does not operate from that location any more.
Councillor Ed Hill (Independent, Pinhoe and Mincinglake), who won the seat from former Cllr Adams, said: “The fiasco with the bollards at Pinhoe train station has been an embarrassment.
“For Devon County Council and Exeter City Council to have both agreed that they can be removed, but then to spend ages arguing about which will remove them, makes [officers] look utterly incompetent.”
Cllr Hill’s exasperation led him to offer to remove them himself “if the [resulting] holes were cemented / tarmaced over to ensure no trip hazards remained”.
A spokesperson for Exeter City Council said this was “an issue for Devon County Council”.
“The road into the (Exeter City Council) car park is ours, but the bollards were installed by the county council for CoBikes charging points, which are sadly no longer,” the spokesperson added.
“The city council gave Devon County Council permission to install them and we have given them permission to remove them. It’s down to them now to remove them.”
Councillor Duncan Wood (Labour), an Exeter City Council member for Pinhoe, has written to Ms Taplin to state the work needs to be done by the county council.
“Exeter City Council and Devon County Council officers met with Cllr Hill and I, and clarified that the status of the bollards remains unchanged,” he wrote in an email.
“They are a county council asset installed, with permission, on Exeter City Council land.
“The highways officer at the meeting accepted this and unfortunately, we are back to waiting for the county council to remove them.”
A Devon County Council spokesperson confirmed the bollards had now been removed.
