Not such a bright idea ...
IT may light the way for pedestrians – but it’s also blocking it. Anyone thinking of walking down the west side of Albion Road in Easton better look where they are going – because council contractors have put a lamppost slap bang in the middle of the pavement.
And anyone foolish enough to try pushing a pram, or attempting to go from Chelsea Road to the High Street in Easton had better cross the road first, because they’ll have to head off the kerb, into the road
❝ We are liaising with the contractors on why it’s been placed in the centre of the footpath and whether it can be adjusted
Council spokesman
and then back up the kerb to go around this errant lamppost.
The lamppost appeared a week ago and instantly baffled the normally-unflappable people of Easton. They are used to seeing strange things, from seagulls swallowing rats whole, strange graffiti and collections of fridges being turned into street art to a car that has been abandoned on the pavement for almost four years.
But the lamppost has vexed even the good people of Easton.
It was first bumped into by local resident Steve Woods, who politely inquired which person thought it would be a good idea, and when it would be moved at least a few inches towards the kerb to ensure free passage to any hapless pedestrians.
“Last night I was admiring the new LED lighting,” he said. “In the cold light of day the Bristol council officer who signed off this lamp standard siting deserves the sack for obstructing the highway for those in wheelchairs or with prams/pushchairs.”
Now the lamppost has become the talk of this particular corner of BS5.
Dru Marland tweeted: “If they’d planted that lamppost in the middle of the road instead of the middle of the pavement, I’m sure something would’ve been done sharpish.”
Other Twitterers wondered aloud whether or not such a thing would have happened in Clifton, or whether it would have been sorted out a bit quicker.
Dial M saw the huge wall that contains the embankment on which the railway line and Stapleton Road station sits, and wondered: “If only there had been some kind of tall structure nearby they could have fixed the lamp to instead of blocking the pavement.”
A spokesperson for Bristol City Council said they were raising the issue with the contractors.
“The lamppost was removed at Network Rail’s request so they could carry out some maintenance. As the column was in poor condition it was replaced with a new type.
“We are liaising with the contractors on why it’s been placed in the centre of the footpath and whether it can be adjusted.”