Fishergate Bollard hit puts Preston cabbie off the road

Naseer Khaliq swerved to avoid a braking vehicle and mounted the concrete plinth of the notorious road marker, causing a catalogue of damage to his Audi saloon.

The driver for A1 City Taxis could be off the road and unable to earn a living for up to 10 days while mechanics carry out repair work on his vehicle.

“It’s ridiculous that these hazards are in the carriageway,” stormed Naseer. “They don’t serve any purpose, they are just obstacles for traffic.

“I’m off the road now and not able to work. My car is my livelihood and it could be in the garage for 10 days. I don’t have another vehicle, so I can’t earn my living.”

Naseer was driving down Fishergate when a car in front braked suddenly, causing him to swerve to avoid a crash.

“I’ve been a cabbie in Preston for 25 years and I know the bollards are there,” he said.

“But in an emergency like that I just swerved out of the way. Had the plinth been brightly lit then I wouldn’t have turned my wheel that way.

"The damage is going to be at least £2,000 - it even cost £400 to get the car moved. I can’t claim on my insurance as my premium will go shooting up. So I will have to pay out of my own pocket.”

An LCC spokesman said: “There have been a few incidents involving vehicles hitting the bollards, which are important safety measures for these crossings.

“We’ve been looking at ways to improve the situation and have been working with a manufacturer to develop a permanent solution.”