A dad has hit out at a council for installing a car park barrier that hospitalised his son.

James Berry, of Pankhurst Crescent in Stevenage, has slammed the borough council after his five-year-old son Arthur, was injured by a barrier at the exit of the former lorry park on Primett Road. Mr Berry rushed his son to A&E at Lister after the metal bar cracked down on the Ashtree Primary School pupil’s head as he walked on the path alongside it.

Mr Berry, 34, said the barrier, which was installed when the council began charging for parking in the car park in July last year, is a danger to the public.

“Me and my son were walking along the path when the bar hit my son on the head. I spoke to the council and they don’t seem to give a monkeys.

“It comes down quite quickly. It’s on the path and it should be laid back.

“He weren’t very happy. I took him down the hospital – it’s just a bit of bruising. He’s off school today – he’s still got a headache. It’s not really acceptable.

“All I’ve been told is that there’s a form to fill out for complaints, which considering that there’s a young boy involved is not good enough. They are not worried about what happened to him.”

A council spokesman said the authority is looking at whether to change the layout of the exit in response to the complaint.

“We are carrying out an investigation at the site and will be looking at the proximity of the barrier to the walkways. Once we have done this we will be able to consider whether or not the barrier should be moved,” she said.