‘Trip hazard’ Council defends metal strips meant to stop skateboarders
COUNCIL chiefs have defended their decision to install dozens of ‘skate strips’ on the area in front of Bristol’s Cenotaph in a bid to prevent skateboarders from continuing to use the space.
Skateboarders, residents and politicians have all criticised the work, which has been carried out in the last couple of days.
The council said the ‘skate strips’ have been introduced because of continuing complaints about skaters in the area between Electricity House and the Cenotaph, but other residents said the strips are a trip hazard and unfair on the skateboarders.
On Saturday, with the area in front of the Cenotaph fenced off and the ‘skate strips’ now in place, the skateboarders appeared to have simply moved further down The Centre, utilising the dry fountains to continue their pastime.
Young people began congregating in the northern end of The Centre to skateboard as soon as the area was created by a revamp of the area in November 2017, and their presence there has been a contentious issue in Bristol ever since.
Skaters had usually congregated on the smaller paved area on College Green but said the flat paving created by the transformation of The Centre in 2017 was an ideal place to skate.
Some skate strips were installed a couple of months later at a cost of £21,000, but now the entire area has been covered with them, which will also affect people cycling or scootering through the square.
The council said regular damage to street furniture there was the reason it was determined to move the skateboarders on.
A Bristol City Council spokesperson said: “The skate strips are being introduced in response to local complaints raising concerns about damage to paving, trees, planters, benches and the ground close to monuments.
“The area around the Cenotaph is a well-used public space and thoroughfare in the centre of the city and it is important that it remains safe and accessible for all our citizens.
“Sadly, despite our best efforts and most of the people using this space doing so respectfully, street furniture in the area continues to be damaged.
“Whilst we are not seeking to exclude anyone’s use of this area, we are aiming to ensure that the space is used respectfully by everyone.”
But skateboarders have objected to the move. “The metal strips are every 10ft the whole way across the floor – it’s a massive trip hazard now,” said one skater, Josh.
“The first metal strips were to protect the Cenotaph, which I understand. But skateboarding is an Olympic sport – the council is becoming very archaic.
“If the council worked with the skaters, they would see how much positive we bring to the city. Not once has the council worked with us.”
Alternative locations in the city centre have previously included the Lloyds amphitheatre, but that’s often filled with film crews or popup foodie attractions. Josh said it can also be a dangerous place.
“We can’t go to the amphitheatre as we are fighting off the kids with knives just to use the space,” he said.
It’s not just skateboarders who are critical of the move.
“I don’t understand how a ‘Labour’ mayor can be so deeply conservative and so thoughtless,” said Caroline Gooch, who stood for the Liberal Democrats at last month’s Bristol Mayoral election.
“The skaters there put cones out and skate in lanes, for goodness sake. And it’s a trip hazard,” she added.
On Saturday, the skateboarders gathering in The Centre had simply moved further down to gather and skate in the disused and dried-up fountains in front of the statue of Neptune, around 200 yards away on the other side of Baldwin Street.
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The first metal strips were to protect the Cenotaph, which I understand. But skateboarding is an Olympic sport – the council is becoming very archaic
Skater Josh