Shop owners in Bargoed are angry about new bollards, fearing it will negatively impact businesses.
The council wants to stop pavement parking, and some people asked them to do this. However, traders now say things are much worse because customers cannot park near the shops anymore, and deliveries are also now a problem.
Shops must now use loading bays in the town, but traders say these bays are always full. The council says parking was a problem, and they also mentioned issues about pedestrian safety and that buses had trouble passing through the street.
Taz Dhariwal, who owns One Stop in Bargoed, said the bollards are bad for business. He explained that unloading is already hard due to space, and that stopping will be more dangerous now.
He added the council made things more dangerous because one loading bay serves many shops. Taz contacted the council, but got no help and stated nobody knew about the change ahead. He said, “It’s killing the town as things now stand.”
Hanbury Road used to have two-way traffic, with parking allowed on one side. Now it is one way, with no parking, and a bus stop sits in the road’s middle. Taz said older people like parking near shops and council car parks aren’t good for them, elaborating that buses cause backups about twenty times daily.
Belinda Daley, who used to own a café, said the bollards were a shock. She predicted deliveries will block city with restricted access, and the buses jammed, thus deliveries cause trouble.
David Greening, who owns a pet shop, thinks he will lose shoppers to this change because elderly shoppers liked parking next to his shop so they could get heavy pet food easily.
He said these customers will go elsewhere now and delivering heavy items will also be hard because the closest parking is up a steep hill. He finished by saying, “This lot is not good for elder or handicapped folks. Trucks must stop on street. It is going to be a nightmare.”
The council said people must think of safety, and they have gotten many complaints. Many of the bollards replaced old ones and Bargoed has parking and loading bays nearby. The council claims these bollards stress highway safety for drivers, adding that parking on footpaths is a problem.