A councillor has asked people to share their feedback about a new cycle lane with the council after becoming aware that many were taking to social media to air strongly held views.
The temporary cycle lane – along Old Shoreham Road between Hangleton Road and the Sackville Road and Nevill Road traffic lights – was created as part of the local response to the coronavirus crisis.
Brighton and Hove City Council said that the dedicated lanes – one on each of the dual carriageway – followed government guidance to encourage cycling during the coronavirus crisis and were part of the local “recovery programme”.
Peter Atkinson, who represents North Portslade on Brighton and Hove City Council, said that residents had voiced strong opinions on Facebook, in emails and in conversations with councillors.
“I was just very concerned,” Councillor Atkinson said, “that the views of residents be taken into account when we decide whether to make more of these lanes and whether they are permanent or not.
“I’m also worried that decisions will be made in a rush without looking at the possible unintended consequences of and alternatives to these lanes. For instance, are they in the right place?”
Queues of traffic have been reported at two pinch-points – the right turn into Olive Road on the eastbound side and the council recycling centre and rubbish tip on the westbound side.
Councillor Atkinson has asked if these hotspots were being monitored for traffic jams and delays and how people were being consulted.
No formal consultation is taking place taking place and Councillor Atkinson was told to let people know that they could send their views to a generic email address, transport.projects@brighton-hove.gov.uk.
Anyone making their views known, using the generic email address can also copy in their local councillor.
“I’m all in favour of well planned, well designed and well consulted on cycle lanes,” Councillor Atkinson said, “but we need to take residents with us and not impose things on them.
“Hopefully, we will now get a better idea of residents’ views on the Old Shoreham Road situation.”
I think cycle lanes are a huge improvement. Cars are on their way out and we should be leading the move to cycling as a primary means of transport here n Brighton.
So far whenever I have been along the old Shoreham road the cycle lane has had either no cyclists or the odd one. Yet the cars are backing up – the thought that this lane will be busy especially in the winter months is hard to believe and all the while the safest way to travel during this pandemic is car I would imagine this cycle lane is nothing but a hazard that needs to go!
I use this route twice a day at the moment when travelling to work.
I see an empty cycle lane with no bikes.
I’m a cyclist myself and I appreciate cycle lanes where we need them but so many times they are put in the wrong place and that’s often about ticking a green strategy agenda more than it’s about need or common sense.
In this case it’s a cheap option to give up half the road in favour of cyclists, just by painting a few white lines. But the commuter traffic space is then halved in favour of very few cyclists – and I’d be happy cycling on that road as it was, sharing the space.
The councillor is also right in the unsafe traffic pinch points this change has created.
I’m really positive about this route. Especially now West Sussex are extending cycle route from the river Adur up to Holmbush and along to the Hove boundary. I’ll be able to cycle all the way to work on a proper cycle route. Yay! Once schools are back and more people go back to work we’ll need these safe cycle routes so people without cars don’t have to squash together on public transport.
The route has to be approved by the government, and as this so not a major public transport route it would be a waste of capacity.
The councillor responsible should be sacked.no consultation.put it back now!
They are in the wrong place-these cycle lanes are always empty while the traffic queues! I’d rather have them on KIngsway as the current cycle tracks can’t cope with volume of cyclists & they end up on the promenade! It would improve safety for pedestrians.
Queues of cars along Old Shoreham Rd,from Olive Road ..never seen a cyclist when I have used this road. A health hazard with cars queueing up engines running .Not good for pedestrians and people living along this stretch of road.
Just like bus lanes….never full of buses. The only way to reduce the dépendance on cars is to make it safe and easy for cyclists, especially children. The mindset has to change. It is much healthier to cycle than drive, even in a pandemic. More and better thought out cycle lanes please.
I think Peter is perfectly understanding of his Ward’s views on this. This is the main connecting route for residents in Mile Oak and to lose a lane will just cause huge congestion and more pollution. More cycle lanes are good if they are going to be used, (this one certainly is not well used), the council need to be far more creative. This council also forgets that not everyone can cycle or walk and for them a car is a necessity and not a luxury. If you want to connect areas like Mile Oak to the cycle lanes look at safer alternatives.
Whenever I have been on the Old Shoreham Road, there has been no cycles in the lane, and the cars are backing up, I think it needs to go back to 2 lanes of traffic as soon as possible
I think cycle lanes are causing more problems on roads due to little cyclists and many cars, most people can’t cycle to work and need to use Vans / cars to carry out there profession. Hardly see cyclists using the lanes empty most of the time taking up valuable road space! Most cyclists don’t abide by the road laws by normally going through red lights boarding pavements when they please. These lanes are a waste of money and I really can’t see how a temporary cycle lane costing 57K is helping Covid-19 surely the money could be better f spent educating cyclists to obey traffic laws!
What research was carried out before the cycle lanes were created. This at least might help an understanding of the decisions on where they have been placed….also good practice to make this available.
I can understand that cycle lanes are needed. As lots of children cycle to Shorham academy . And ots a very dangerous road. BUT. Its also a very busy road and there have been some accidents in the old shorham road. I also think some will take the little road that runs along the right hand side of the road to Holmbush. As a short cut. And also for people on foot to cross the road. I see people now cutting across as they dont want to walk allthe way to the foot bridge.
There are to many cyclists lanes it’s getting ridiculous. They dont pay tax and they aren’t the one who get caught up in all the traffic jams. Get rid of them
I encountered this new lane yesterday travelling from south Portslade to Homsbase in Old Shoreham Rd. Turning right at Southern Cross on OSR was shock and i nearly had an accident crossin out of the new lane into the car lane. Traffic was a lot slower in this single car lane due to congestion and remained so until I arrived at Homebase. I noted the cycle lane was completely empty for the entire journey.
My return journey was similarly slow and not a cycyle in site. These new lanes are, in my opinion, a total waste of time, money and effort.
Travelling east from Southern Cross, there were tailbacks at the right turn into Olive road. This entire farce is an accident waiting to happen
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Excellent bike lane. Hopefully the people doing short journeys causing traffic will realise cycling would be better.
I was a keen cyclist. I live in Portslade and I’m keen for more and safer cycle routes myself. However, I was hoping the seafront cycle lane could have been extended to Church Road. Or one put on Portland Road, which is flat, along with Boundary Road being made pedestrian priority like George Street.
Old Shoreham Rd has few cyclists, if any.
It’s ridiculous, all they are doing is creating another bottleneck.Try as much as you like but for many the car is an essential means of transport. If you want to create dedicated cycle lanes widen the road, all this does is create additional traffic.
This a absolutely ridiculous idea,
I only ever see the odd cyclist in the lane on my many Journeys along the old shoreham road
We have always had cyclists on the roads and we have done just fine passing them with two lanes of traffic why now do they need a whole lane??
I use this cycle lane. It’s a great relief not to be close passed into potholes, glass and drains at the edge of the road. I like everyone pay tax and drive a car. I just choose to avoid the other pandemic (obesity) by getting on my bike.
These cycle lanes are long overdue. Olive road has always caused traffic issues as it is the aternative access avoiding the level crossing. Keep the cycle lanes, I myself would be encouraged to cycle safely to work rather than drive.
It’s a great idea. But hardly anyone is using it. Why is that? Either it isn’t wanted, or it’s the wrong location. Can’t think it isn’t wanted, so surely it’s the location. To me it seems a strange place to start and finish. Perhaps better to extend it to Shoreham and to the BHASVIC junction to make it more useful. And make it an offence to cycle on the pavement.
If cycle lanes are to be put in on major routes like this I feel they need to be safer than simply painting a white line down the road and expecting people to be feel happy to take their chances when they are not clearly differentiated for drivers not expecting to see them. If we look to countries where cycling has been a success, the right infrastructure has been put in place through looking at traffic patterns and consultation to assess the right routing. Most importantly, riders are separated by a different coloured properly built in and bordered laneway where both adults and children feel comfortable to ride. We have an opportunity to make Brighton a leading city for cycling but you cant properly assess success or failure if you havent set it up properly in the first place.
Totally agree with Lynn’s comments.
On a similar note Dyke Road is a very popular route for cycling providing access to Devil’s Dyke etc. All sorts use it from serious cyclists to children and families but all that has been provided is a dotted white line and a lane that reduces in width to next to nothing.
Look to Holland or even London on how to provide proper cycle lanes. Resurface them in a different colour from the road. Employ quality and standards.
It would be good to see a final well designed cycle network for Brighton that could be implemented in stages. I would imagine a lot of routes would be chosen to avoid the busiest traffic for health and safety.
It’s definitely the right way to go. Increase cycle journeys and decrease car journeys. The advent and fall in price of electric bikes will add momentum to the change. Build the cycle lanes, join them up and the people will come.
Good idea but needs a holistic, city wide plan. This is a little hasty in my opinion & I’m not 100% sure it’s having any real positive effect?(I’m a cyclist BTW). It’s as wide as a bus lane also, so why not make it a Bus/Bike/Taxi/Motorcycle one, which would ease the congestion somewhat?
The Old Shoreham Road is one of the main Arterial Roads through the heart of the City for all private, commercial, public and emergency traffic. Old Shoreham Road is not a playground for a parent and children 4 yrs plus cycling in the Cycle lane. On a road like this driving can be a challenge let alone other hot spots Station Road / OldShoreham Rd junction, Olive Road right turn, Hove Tip disaster. You should consider an age limit on the temporary cycle lane and get rid of it as soon as possible before lives are lost
You may cross a solid line if a vehicle is turning right. This means vehicles wanting to continue on Old Shoreham Road with cars waiting to go DOWN Olive road may cross into the cycle way to continue on. This applies on London Road, Patcham and ironically when a bus is waiting to turn into a depot.
These are the only legal times you may do so
As a cyclist with no car, I’m very much in favour of work to improve safety and provision for cyclists. Although I’m fairly experienced cycling on the roads, the Old Shoreham Road always feels pretty nerve wrecking to cycle along as the road surface is poor and drivers are often aggressive and leave you with little space.
I agree with comments about this being the start of improving overall all provision for the growing number of cyclists and appreciate the opportunity to provide views. When I’ve used this cycle lane at the weekend, there were quite a lot of cyclists on there which was great to see. Heading towards Shoreham, the cycle lane finishes very abruptly so I’d be keen to see it extended all the way to the River Adur. This would increase its popularity even more I think, particularly when people know more about it.
Keep up the good work in transforming our city into a better place for all!
These A27 cycle lanes will never be widely used as A259, Portland Rd and church Rd are much better / safer routes to cycle west to east plus the a27 is too hilly (especially at cemetery and hove park) and not suitable as it’s a main road! Plus due to one lane of traffic turning into stapley Rd is now hard as the oncoming traffic takes ages to clear coming west from boundary rd lights! Clearly NO thought has gone into this scheme!
Can you finally remove this pointless cycle lane, NO ONE is using it. Meanwhile traffic on Old Shoreham road, which has always been heavy has turned into a stress inducing nightmare. Get rid of it or, we the rad-tax paying people will do it