Dorchester’s South Street’s pedestrian-only policy isn’t working – according to town councillors.

The street is supposed to be traffic-free apart from a short period in the morning and evening – but there are claims that drivers are still illegally going up and down throughout the day.

Part of the problem, in the southern end of the street, is the lack of lockable bollards in New Street.

The bollards were put in by Dorset County Council but have seldom been used and have now disappeared completely. DCC said they could not afford to pay staff to lock and unlock them twice a day.

Town Clerk Adrian Stuart says that local people often find themselves having to avoid vehicles: “There is still a lot of very irritating traffic in the street when it shouldn’t be there…there has been an increase in vans dropping stuff off part-way through the day,” he told a town council Policy Committee meeting.

The concerns were shared by Cllr Trevor Jones: “The number of large vehicles is increasing and I’m concerned at the possible damage it’s causing to the new paving we’ve spent a lot of money on.”

Fellow town councillor, Alistair Chisholm, said that the traffic in the bottom end of the street could largely be stopped by re-introducing the bollards at New Street to prevent vehicles turning in from Trinity Street. But other accesses, from the High Street and Durngate Street would need to be enforced by police or traffic wardens.

“Traders in the area have offered to look after the bollards. It doesn’t require Olympic strength and it’s in the interests of the traders to do it themselves,” he said.

County Highways officials will now be asked to appear before the Town Council to offer solutions to the problem.