First child-like mannequin bollards appear on Birmingham's streets
Nov 21 2009 by Tony Collins, Birmingham Mail
FROM a distance it may look as though a child is about to step into the road – and that is the whole idea!
Two very unusual bollards have appeared on the streets of Birmingham for the very first time in an effort to slow traffic and make motorists more aware of the dangers, particularly close to school gates.
Appropriately named Billy and Belinda, the plastic bollards have been placed on either side of Stuarts Road in Stechford, which is used by pupils of three local primary schools.
Their arrival, the first anywhere throughout the city, is at the request of Bordesley Green East Nursery School, on the corner of Stuarts Road and Bordesley Green East.
The bollards, which are slightly smaller than an actual child, have been trialled in other parts of the Midlands, including Leicester, and are becoming increasingly popular as part of traffic calming measures.
A spokesman for Birmingham City Council said: “This is an innovative way of raising awareness and attracting attention to the presence of children.
“The bollards are a striking reminder to motorists to drive carefully, particularly in the vicinity of schools.”
Bordesley Green East Nursery School said Billy and Belinda now formed part of their overall school travel plan, supported by the local authority.
Travel plans set out practical measures and initiatives for reducing the number of car trips to and from school as well as improving safety on the school journey.
A spokesman for the nursery school said: “We received funding to put the figures up to slow down traffic and make motorists more aware that the school is here as they turn into Stuarts Road.
“There is parking on both sides because we’re in a residential area, and we also have buses that turn into the road as well.
“It’s just to make drivers more aware of the dangers of children possibly crossing the road in front of them.
“Even the staff got a bit of a shock the first time they appeared on either side of the road.”
It would appear that the child bollards have also gone down well with local people.
The spokesman added: “I think they took a shine to Billy, as one of the locals gave Billy a scarf.”
