It’s incredible how well the drivers of large vehicles usually manage to navigate the streets of this medieval town. They take enormous toll on the infrastructure to be sure, but they usually contrive to get round the carelessly parked obstacles left in their path.
One exception though was the driver of the refuse collection lorry last Thursday March 8, who managed not only to knock over two bollards at the top end of the High Street, but also to strike the corner of Adams Stationers building and destroy the CCTV camera there, putting the whole CCTV surveillance system along the High Street out of action.
The offending vehicle was captured on camera at the point of impact, so it may be identified.
According to an ESCC (East Sussex County Council) Highways Department spokesman several years ago now: “Rye has more bollards per 100 yards than any other town in East Sussex”.
I remember replying that they were here for a reason, to protect our precious buildings. There’s no doubt they make life harder for HGV drivers but that’s no argument for bashing them down.
We are again indebted to Nicky Ledger, Town Steward, for his prompt action in reinstating the two bollards. He was also called upon to scrub out a graphically offensive yellow artwork around a pothole in Lion Street, painted by an unknown hand on the night of Sunday March 11.
Photos: Kenneth Bird