New bollards to enforce vehicle-free hours in Ipswich town centre

Shopping, walking, and spending time in the heart of our town is about to become a much safer and more relaxed experience for everyone. If you regularly visit the shops, meet friends for a coffee, or simply walk through the central streets, you will know how important it is to have space to move freely without worrying about traffic. To help protect that safe environment, new physical bollards are being introduced to keep the centre of Ipswich completely free of vehicles during the busiest parts of the day.

Making our streets safer for pedestrians

For some time now, strict rules have been in place to stop cars and vans from entering the main pedestrianised zones between 10.30am and 4.30pm. These hours are designed to give people on foot priority, making the area welcoming for everyone looking to enjoy the town without the noise and danger of passing traffic. Sadly, not everyone has been following these rules. Because some drivers have continued to drive through the restricted zones during the day, they have created unnecessary hazards for pedestrians.

To solve this problem and enforce the rules that are already in place, Ipswich Borough Council is taking practical action. Starting on Monday 12 October, physical bollards will be locked into position every morning at 10.30am. These barriers will physically prevent vehicles from accessing the key pedestrian streets, ensuring the space truly belongs to people on foot.

How the new rules will work

The daily bollards will be set up at several main entry points across the town centre. Once locked in place, they will remain there throughout the main shopping hours, before being safely removed at 4.30pm each afternoon. You will see them at the following locations:

• Carr Street
• Tower Street
• The western section of Westgate Street
• The junction of Princes Street and King Street

There is also a specific update for Queen Street, which operates on a slightly different schedule. Bollards will be used here to carefully control access based on the current permissions. Vehicles are currently only allowed onto Queen Street between 4.30pm and 10.30am on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Sundays. At all other times, the new bollards will block access entirely, keeping the street clear for pedestrians.

In addition to the physical barriers, further technology is expected to be introduced to support the safety of the town centre. Suffolk County Council is planning to install an Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) camera on Upper Brook Street. This camera will monitor and enforce the existing vehicle restrictions for any traffic attempting to enter the town centre from that direction, complementing the new bollards perfectly.

While the focus is firmly on pedestrian safety, the daily running of the town has been carefully considered. Local businesses will still be able to receive their essential deliveries outside of the restricted hours, meaning vans and lorries can arrive before 10.30am and after 4.30pm where the rules allow. Furthermore, emergency services will always be able to gain immediate access to these streets whenever they are required, ensuring public safety is maintained at all times.

Councillor Neil MacDonald, Leader of the Borough Council, highlighted the importance of making the town centre a welcoming place for everyone to walk, shop, and spend their time. He noted that the bollards are a highly practical way to make sure the existing restrictions actually work, rather than relying solely on signage.

“Unfortunately, some drivers continue to ignore the existing restrictions and drive through the town centre when vehicles are prohibited. During the day our pedestrianised streets should be just that: pedestrianised.”

These changes come into effect on Monday 12 October. If you are planning a trip into town, you can look forward to a safer, quieter, and more pedestrian-friendly environment between 10.30am and 4.30pm every day. For local businesses and delivery drivers, please ensure your schedules align with the permitted access times before 10.30am and after 4.30pm. By keeping vehicles out during the busiest hours, we can all enjoy a much better experience when visiting the heart of Ipswich.

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