A retractable traffic bollard was installed on Avenue de la Gare in Esch, in order to regulate traffic and make the area safer for pedestrians. The system is controlled by red and green lights, showing vehicles when they are permitted to pass.
On Friday morning, however, an incident occurred in which a van drove over the bollard as it was starting to rise out of the ground, resulting in damage to the vehicle.The bottom of the van was ripped apart, resulting in an oil leak across the road surface.
The vehicle was left out of action and the municipal services were dispatched to the scene in order to clean up the spillage.
A passersby told RTL this was the third such incident in the last few months. When asked, Esch municipal council explained these accidents occur when drivers follow the vehicle in front of them too closely in order to access the road, in the hope the bollard will stay lowered. However, this frequently leads to collisions.
The bollard was installed correctly, council spokesperson Nelson Fragoso told RTL, and it was also signposted accordingly.
