Neighbours grouped together to form a 'human bollard' shield after vandals ripped out low traffic barriers.
Residents on Divinity Road in Oxford took to the streets in a bid to protect pedestrians, cyclists and children from drivers flouting the rules designed to reduce traffic in the area.
It comes after Oxfordshire County Council (OCC) established a number of low-traffic neighbourhoods in a bid to clamp down on drivers taking shortcuts through residential areas.
The aim of creating a quieter and safer reduced vehicle area however came under threat when drivers appeared to have taken matters into their own hands by cutting down the bollards.
Some have even reportedly been set on fire in a bid to allow more traffic to move freely through the streets in and around Divinity Road.
Now, footage shows furious locals responding by standing in the middle of the road in an attempt to prevent cars passing.
Oxfordshire Liveable streets wrote on Twitter : "Ordinary residents in #Oxford are now acting as 'human bollards' to protect cyclists, pedestrians and children from drivers who flout the rules, and vandals who have destroyed the physical bollards. Extraordinary, really."
Despite the controversy around the bollards, the county council insists it wants to proceed with the scheme.
Cllr Andrew Gant, Cabinet Member for Highways Management at Oxfordshire County Council, said: "It is disappointing that a few individuals see fit to damage the LTN bollards and their fittings.
"We will continue to make safe and reinstate all damaged bollards that have been forcibly knocked down or uprooted.
"Vandalism of this kind is a serious criminal offence and correcting it takes a lot of time and effort from our highway officers.
"To ensure the safety of other road users, it is necessary for damaged bollards to be removed and the area made safe until a new bollard can be fitted.
"For this reason, metal plates have been fitted temporarily at these locations as a safety measure whilst bollards are being repaired or replaced. They are installed to protect road users and prevent further vandalism.
"In the meantime, we are also exploring other solutions to ensure that the LTNs continue to work on the ground, including looking at options to install heavy duty bollards, and options for automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras."
