After months of technical hitches, council engineers in Bicester are keeping their fingers crossed that a movable bollard to enforce a pedestrian only-road works properly.

Glitches affected the hydraulic bollard when it was installed in Sheep Street in November 2002.

It failed to rise and sink to allow authorised vehicles to be driven over it into the precinct.

Following further adjustments, everything seems to working properly.

Cherwell's chief engineer Tony Brummell explained: "There was nothing wrong with the hydraulics of the bollard.

"The problem was we had overloaded the telecommunications system.

"We had three functions going down one telephone line. We have now installed a second line."

Since the second line was added the bollard has been working properly between 9am and 4pm.

The bollard was put in at the Bell Lane end to improve road safety in the precinct, by cutting down on the number of vehicles parking there.

Fixed bollards prevent vehicles entering the precinct from the Market Square end.

Disabled drivers have been designated parking spaces in Bell Lane and the Bure Place car park behind Sheep Street.

The cost of installing the bollards and other street works was £68,000.