Veteran Labour MP struck trouble while leaving Parliament tonight when a bollard, recently installed on Museum Street to boost Parliament’s security, suddenly raised while he was driving over it. He is not the first victim of the troublesome bollards, which have been problematic since installation.
Labour MP Trevor Mallard is the latest victim of notorious electronic bollards at Parliament which are regularly catching out innocent drivers.
Mallard's Ford Mondeo station wagon was struck by the rising bollards this evening and remains wedged on the roadway.
"I waited until the lights were green, so it wastotally down," he said.
"And as I was leaving, one of them came up and is jammed under the car. I can't get it off."
The sensor-activated bollards were installed in August and are designed to prevent attacks on Parliament.
However, they have already struck a number of slow-moving motorists including Government ministers' limousines.
Staff at the neighbouring Treasury building were now holding a sweepstake on when the next crash would occur, Mallard said.
He was "grumpy" about being the bollards' latest prey. His situation was not eased by the location of the incident - in full view of the Parliamentary Press Gallery.
