A new cycle path has been branded a deathtrap that pits cyclists against pedestrians due to its complex layout and absence of adequate signage.
The cycle lane on Longport Road in Canterbury, Kent, also switches sides and blocks off the entrance to a historic abbey, sparking outrage from locals, and according to the National Federation of the Blind (NFBUK), the route is so dangerous they raised concerns over it a year ago before it had even been built.
A consultation in November 2022 found the designs were dangerous, discriminatory and a deathtrap for any blind or visually challenged pedestrian, but the council still pushed on with it regardless.
It added the designs bring cyclists directly into conflict with any pedestrian using the pavement and pedestrian crossing.
It also added that they bring any pedestrian into direct conflict with the explosion of people now using e-bikes, e-scooters, e-unicycles, e-cargo bikes and delivery bikes, many of which are illegal and illegally modified, ridden at speed with no consideration at all for any pedestrians.
Kent County Council said the lane, which was designed in consultation with Active Travel England, would encourage new and less confident cyclists as well as slow vehicles down.
Presently, the lane widths are said to be temporary while construction work takes place.
However, locals are less impressed by the new design, with many fearing it could cause a potentially life-threatening accident.
Some called the cycle lane on Longport as the best in Britain but most criticised the bright red path as confusing and a waste of money.
Christine Moore, 74, told a newspaper outlet that it was an accident waiting to happen and that everyone who lives around there was totally flummoxed by the thing.
She said that the cycle lane goes right to the entrance of St Augustine Abbey across the road where people go with their children or to walk their dogs, and that people come out of the Abbey grounds and straight into the path of a bicycle and that it was ridiculous.
Factory worker Darius Luidokas found himself cycling against the oncoming traffic.
Darius Luidokas, 47, told a newspaper outlet that he didn’t know where he was meant to be cycling.
He said he came onto the right-hand side of the road because he wanted to turn right up the road a bit.
Marcus told a newspaper outlet that it was so confusing, they had no idea which side of the road they were meant to be cycling on. There were no signs, nothing.
This is indeed councils squandering our money on fads per usual.
However, it’s not just these cycle lanes that are the problem, all cycle lanes are dangerous, but it’s also up to the cyclist to be alert and ride with consideration, but the problem is they don’t. Cyclists should be like any other motorist, if there’s a red light then they should have to stop at a red light, not just speed through it, and if they don’t then they should be fined on the spot.
Cycle lanes are also extremely dangerous for people who are deaf or hard of hearing because they can’t hear anything if a person on a bicycle calls out for them to move out of the way.
Councils evidently don’t care about the pedestrians, and it’s impossible to walk across a road, even a zebra crossing because you never know when a cyclist is going to be speeding and a lot of them just speed through red lights as if they have the right of way, and numerous people are being injured because of this.
Cyclists appear to want to have equal rights, the same as motorists and if this is the case then they should be insured, taxed and have some type of registration plate.
Councils never seem to have enough money to fill in potholes and maintain the roads, but they seem to have enough money to put in pointless cycle lanes – enough is enough!
THE MONTHLY MOSQUITO 