A weird bell-shaped bollard on a slim bridge within the Yorkshire Dales has change into a automobile killer.
The bell was put in on Widdale Bridge, close to Hawes, in November. It was put in place to stop drivers from hitting the stone partitions at both aspect of the bridge.
However the bell, on the B6255, seems to have induced extra issues than it has solved, with common experiences of drivers hitting the set up as they cross the bridge.
The bollard is painted jet black with no reflective signing and is unlikely to be seen by drivers, notably at night time.
The bridge itself has not even been saved by the bell, as footage of a latest collision confirmed that the brick wall which the bollard is there to guard was additionally broken by a automobile.
Barry Purcell owns a BnB within the close by village of Askrigg and mentioned the bell was a ‘silly thought’ and a ‘legal responsibility’.
He mentioned a pair who lately stayed at his enterprise had been taken to hospital after a crash on the bridge.
‘They was a Norwegian couple staying with us for a couple of days and naturally they’re vacationers so not conversant in the roads,’ Barry mentioned.
The tyre bell was put in on the B6255 close to Hawes, North Yorkshire, to cease automobiles hitting the bridge
The small bell has change into a hazard of its personal, as automobiles have began to hit the bell whereas crossing the bridge
‘Once they approached the bridge they didn’t see it. They clipped it and the automobile ended up on its roof.’
Barry mentioned the couple had been taken to Lancaster Hospital, the place the passenger needed to bear surgical procedure on her arm.
He added: ‘She needed to spent two days within the hospital earlier than she might even get the surgical procedure as a result of her arm was stuffed with glass.
‘The person needed to come and produce the keys again and so they needed to curtail their keep by two days.
‘They then flew again dwelling and we misplaced enterprise due to it.
‘He informed us that when the police arrived they informed him “you aren’t the primary” so clearly it’s fairly widespread.’
A minimum of seven autos have reportedly hit the bell prior to now three months.
The highway crosses the Yorkshire Dales Nationwide Park and is standard amongst vacationers visiting the villages of Haws, Ingleton and Ribblehead.
Drivers are struggling to identify the dark-coloured bell – notably at night time
A automobile pictured in a ditch after it collided with the Widdale Bridge Bell within the Yorkshire Dales
Created to guard the bridge, Barry mentioned it’s ‘essentially the most silly factor they may have executed’.
He added: ‘They should set up some reflective signage someplace on the bridge.
‘You come off a left-hander onto a right-hander and straight onto the slim bridge.
‘The bells can work, there may be one within the village of Hawes however it’s in a extremely smart place, defending a home from very massive autos
‘There may be loads of reflective signage that may be put in, there’s a warning for slim bridge. You come off a left-hander onto a right-hander and you’re on it.
‘After I discuss to individuals about it, all of them appear to assume it’s pointless. The highway is slim sufficient as it’s.’
Regardless of the hazard to drivers, some locals consider the bell has been a worthwhile addition and that the quantity of automobiles which have hit it has proved its value.
One wrote: ‘Appears to me it is doing its job, stopping injury to the bridge and worse outcomes for the autos. Maybe drivers should decelerate a tad and use their brains to find out when to present technique to oncoming site visitors.’
One other mentioned: ‘I believe it is an amazing thought to have the bell there should be one on each bridge spherical right here judging by the quantity of occasions of us maintain knocking into them.’
North Yorkshire Council’s assistant director for highways and infrastructure, Barrie Mason mentioned: ‘The bollard was put in on the Widdale Bridge in October final 12 months to assist stop injury to the bridge parapet which had been struck on a variety of events.
‘The highway on the strategy to the bridge has indicators and markings alerting motorists to the actual fact the highway narrows and that they need to decelerate.
‘There are additionally white traces clearly marking the sting of the carriageway. The bollard, which is situated away from the highway edge, is painted to stay in line with the historic nature of the bridge.
‘We’d ask motorists to take heed of each the warnings and the highway situations in an effort to stop any additional incidents.’
One person on social media described the bell as a ‘cousin’ of the so-called ‘killer kerb’ in Salisbury.
The ‘killer kerb’ sits round 328 toes from Salisbury prepare station in Wiltshire at a mini roundabout on the junction of two main roads.
A automobile struggles to drive across the new foot-high kerb in Salisbury, Wiltshire
Pictured: A driver makes an attempt the tight nook the place Salisbury’s ‘killer kerb’ has induced injury to many automobiles
The infamous foot-high set up was designed to create a ‘extra welcoming setting for pedestrians’ however has as a substitute change into so infamous that it has been listed as a vacationer attraction on Google Maps.
Since opening 10 months in the past eight compensation claims referring to it have been made in comparison with zero within the three earlier years.
It has additionally induced a lot injury {that a} Fb web page has been devoted to the carnage it has created.
The Lib Dem-led Wiltshire Council raised the kerb in October 2024 as a part of a £3.2million mission.
It was ‘renewed’ final 12 months underneath a scheme the county council mentioned would ‘create a extra welcoming setting for pedestrians’ after they stroll in direction of town centre from the railway station.
One video of a automobile bumping over the kerb had been seen a couple of million occasions on social media.
Because it was put in the council has confronted a slew of compensation claims from motorists who’ve broken their autos on the kerb.
