A bizarre bell-shaped bollard on a narrow bridge in the Yorkshire Dales has become a car killer.
The bell was installed on Widdale Bridge, near Hawes, in November. It was put in place to prevent drivers from hitting the stone walls at either side of the bridge.
But the bell, on the B6255, appears to have caused more problems than it has solved, with regular reports of drivers hitting the installation as they cross the bridge.
The bollard is painted jet black with no reflective signing and is unlikely to be seen by drivers, particularly at night.
The bridge itself has not even been saved by the bell, as pictures of a recent collision showed that the brick wall which the bollard is there to protect was also damaged by a vehicle.
Barry Purcell owns a BnB in the nearby village of Askrigg and said the bell was a ‘stupid idea’ and a ‘liability’.
He said a couple who recently stayed at his business were taken to hospital after a crash on the bridge.
‘They was a Norwegian couple staying with us for a few days and of course they are tourists so not familiar with the roads,’ Barry said.
The tyre bell was installed on the B6255 near Hawes, North Yorkshire, to stop cars hitting the bridge
The small bell has become a hazard of its own, as cars have started to hit the bell while crossing the bridge
‘When they approached the bridge they did not see it. They clipped it and the car ended up on its roof.’
Barry said the couple were taken to Lancaster Hospital, where the passenger had to undergo surgery on her arm.
He added: ‘She had to spent two days in the hospital before she could even get the surgery because her arm was full of glass.
‘The man had to come and bring the keys back and they had to curtail their stay by two days.
‘They then flew back home and we lost business because of it.
‘He told us that when the police arrived they told him “you are not the first” so clearly it is quite common.’
At least seven vehicles have reportedly hit the bell in the past three months.
The road crosses the Yorkshire Dales National Park and is popular among tourists visiting the villages of Haws, Ingleton and Ribblehead.
Drivers are struggling to spot the dark-coloured bell – particularly at night
A car pictured in a ditch after it collided with the Widdale Bridge Bell in the Yorkshire Dales
Created to protect the bridge, Barry said it is ‘the most stupid thing they could have done’.
He added: ‘They need to install some reflective signage somewhere on the bridge.
‘You come off a left-hander onto a right-hander and straight onto the narrow bridge.
‘The bells can work, there is one in the village of Hawes but it is in a really sensible position, protecting a house from very large vehicles
‘There is plenty of reflective signage that can be installed, there is a warning for narrow bridge. You come off a left-hander onto a right-hander and you are on it.
‘When I talk to people about it, they all seem to think it is unnecessary. The road is narrow enough as it is.’
Despite the danger to drivers, some locals believe the bell has been a worthwhile addition and that the amount of cars that have hit it has proved its worth.
One wrote: ‘Seems to me it’s doing its job, preventing damage to the bridge and worse outcomes for the vehicles. Perhaps drivers ought to slow down a tad and use their brains to determine when to give way to oncoming traffic.’
Another said: ‘I think it’s a great idea to have the bell there ought to be one on every bridge round here judging by the amount of times folks keep knocking into them.’
North Yorkshire Council’s assistant director for highways and infrastructure, Barrie Mason said: ‘The bollard was installed on the Widdale Bridge in October last year to help prevent damage to the bridge parapet which had been struck on a number of occasions.
‘The road on the approach to the bridge has signs and markings alerting motorists to the fact the road narrows and that they should slow down.
‘There are also white lines clearly marking the edge of the carriageway. The bollard, which is located away from the road edge, is painted to remain in keeping with the historic nature of the bridge.
‘We would ask motorists to take heed of both the warnings and the road conditions in an effort to prevent any further incidents.’
One user on social media described the bell as a ‘cousin’ of the so-called ‘killer kerb’ in Salisbury.
The ‘killer kerb’ sits around 328 feet from Salisbury train station in Wiltshire at a mini roundabout at the junction of two major roads.
A car struggles to drive around the new foot-high kerb in Salisbury, Wiltshire
Pictured: A driver attempts the tight corner where Salisbury’s ‘killer kerb’ has caused damage to many cars
The notorious foot-high installation was designed to create a ‘more welcoming environment for pedestrians’ but has instead become so notorious that it has been listed as a tourist attraction on Google Maps.
Since opening 10 months ago eight compensation claims relating to it have been made compared to zero in the three previous years.
It has also caused so much damage that a Facebook page has been dedicated to the carnage it has created.
The Lib Dem-led Wiltshire Council raised the kerb in October 2024 as part of a £3.2million project.
It was ‘renewed’ last year under a scheme the county council said would ‘create a more welcoming environment for pedestrians’ when they walk towards the city centre from the railway station.
One video of a car bumping over the kerb had been viewed more than one million times on social media.
Since it was installed the council has faced a slew of compensation claims from motorists who have damaged their vehicles on the kerb.
