Ballarat City Council made the decision to close the lane at a meeting earlier this month, with two nearby residents speaking in favour of the plan.

But not all the property owners along the lane were impressed with the idea.

Several have since said the installation of lockable bollards could be extremely dangerous.

Three residents have also told The Courier they were unhappy with the lack of communication from the council, with calls going unreturned and replies to emails being "terse and patronising".

The decision to close the road was made after claims hoons had been using the track for four-wheel-driving, potentially endangering people using the lane for bushwalking.

But Neil Chisholm said he and his neighbours were concerned for their safety should a bushfire break out on Mt Buninyong.

"A significant number of residents on Blackberry Lane are very concerned by the closure of the lane as this was our alternative escape route in case of a bushfire," he said.

Neighbour Michelle Pearson agreed and said residents had tried to talk to the council about their concerns without success.

"We're concerned about our lives in the face of a bushfire," she said.

"We want to be able to drive down there if we can't get out the other way; we just don't want to get trapped up there."

Philip Smith was also angry about the closure.

All three residents said there was no consultation by the council before the decision to install bollards was made.

"The lanes have been used in perpetuity for over a hundred years for vehicular and foot traffic," he said.

Council infrastructure director Jeff Haydon said emergency services authorities had not objected to the closure and would be given keys to ensure the bollards could be unlocked in a fire.

"There will also be consultation with all the residents in the precinct, providing them with the opportunity to also have a key," he said.

"There will be a letter going out to them to consult on what their needs may be."