Llangollen's controversial planters to be removed next week council say

The planters on Castle Street replaced the bollards, which were previously put there by the council, last November.

They are now set to be removed as of Wednesday, September 22.

The temporary measures were part of DCC's Local Sustainable Transport scheme to ensure adequate pedestrian space for Covid-19 social distancing.

Confirming the removal of the planters, a spokesperson for DCC said: "We have booked a contractor in from September 22 to remove the temporary scheme from Castle Street and Abbey Road in order to facilitate the Llangollen 2020 scheme. The work is expected to take a maximum of five days.”

Active travel measures were proposed for Rhyl, Llangollen, Denbigh and Ruthin last year with an £891,000 grant from Welsh Government last year.

Plans were rejected in Denbigh and Denbighshire County Council also agreed to reverse the scheme in Ruthin and Rhyl.

The idea, which came about as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, was to widen pavements and make one way systems in towns which would give more room for pedestrians and reduce traffic, using temporary bollards studded to the road.

Opponents said the measures – brought in for an initial 18-month trial – created traffic problems, reduced parking for those wanting to pop into local businesses, and were unsightly.

Since they were set up, both the bollards and the planters in Llangollen have faced much opposition from residents, traders and councillors alike - with a petition calling for them to be removed, set up by town councillor Stuart Davies, gathering hundreds of signatures.

However, the area's two county councillors, Graham Timms and Melvyn Mile, have both been in favour of the measures. In a statement released last November, they said: "We are both fully behind the Llangollen Covid-19 scheme. Its introduction was to enable people to stay safe when they visit the town, providing space for social distancing and safe queueing outside shops."