Residents fear dirt mounds with broken glass could block emergency vehicles

Residents have raised safety concerns after dirt mounds containing broken glass were placed around a Buckingham green, fearing they could block emergency vehicles and endanger children.

The mounds have been installed along the southern edge of Buckingham Green, which is surrounded by council flats and houses.

Residents told the Local Democracy Reporting Service they appeared around two weeks ago, apparently to prevent vehicles from driving onto the grass.

They said neither Portsmouth City Council nor its highways contractor, Colas, gave any advance warning or explanation.

Several residents claimed they had spotted broken glass and other debris in the soil, raising concerns after children, some as young as three, were seen climbing and playing on the mounds.

They also said the bund has blocked the dropped kerb from Turner Road, which they fear could prevent fire engines or aerial ladder platforms from accessing the green if needed.

Pensioners living nearby said they occasionally drive across the grass only to unload shopping before returning their cars to a nearby car park.

One resident said: “Nobody moans about it. Everyone is quite sensible about it. We don’t do it when it’s muddy.

“We understand with children around we need to be very careful, but all us pensioners want to do is unload our shopping then go back to the car park.”

Another criticised the measure, saying: “They’ll block cars but won’t do anything about e-bikes and e-scooters that fly along here.”

Residents also complained the soil had made surrounding footpaths dirty and feared conditions would worsen after heavy rain. Many agreed they would have preferred wooden or metal posts as a vehicle deterrent.

A Portsmouth City Council spokesperson said: “The council is aware of concerns raised about the material being used to create a bund along the edge of Buckland Green. The bund is being installed as a simple vehicle deterrent to prevent unauthorised access onto the green space and is not intended to be an engineered structure.

“The material has been sourced by an experienced contractor who has carried out similar bunding works at other locations. The soil is suitable for the purpose of creating the bund, although it may contain some inert material such as small pieces of brick or rubble.

“It is being used to form a physical barrier to vehicle access and is not intended to create a landscaped area.

“The council has asked the contractor to inspect the site and remove any obvious surface contaminants, such as plastic or glass, where they are identified. This is to ensure the finished appearance and safety of the site are acceptable.”