‘Optical illusion’ cycle lane that’s injured 59 people this year to go under construction
The 'optical illusion' cycling lane that has caused 59 injuries is set to go under construction - but not to fix the issue that is causing chaos.
Pedestrians have been falling prey to the misleading paint job, where the white lines of the lane are identical to that of the pavement, causing people to trip over.
The cycle lane is located on Keynsham High Street, near Bristol, and has been slammed by locals since it was installed in March 2022.
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A 76-year-old man was one of many to fall victim to the confusing bike lane when he suffered injuries to his hands after falling while in the Somerset town.
Construction will be underway on the street from June 5 to June 22, but nothing is being done to rectify the confusing paint job that has led to repeated injuries.
Councillor Paul Roper said: "The works to repair the broken paving slabs and replace cycle stands and bollards have been scheduled for some time.
"We are conscious of the concerns about trips and falls linked to the cycle lane and so it’s understandable that people may wonder what is happening when contractors arrive."
He did insist however that residents' concerns were being taken seriously, and the council has 'already acted by introducing the red coloured cycle lane finish that has reduced the number of reported incidents significantly’.
Once construction work has finished, a design assessment will take place to determine whether or not additional enhancements can be made to further cut down on falls.
Of the 59 people who have been injured, 21 have pursued legal action against Keynsham Council.
As of the end of April, seven of those personal injury compensation claims had been rejected, while the rest remain under investigation.
The Liberal Democrat-run authority has said that no insurance claims have been settled and that no other payments have been made to anyone.
Conservative councillor Alan Hale claims he was receiving reports of falls from the very first day the cycling lane was opened.
Hale said: "There can be no other local authority in the country that has created a development that has succeeded in seriously injuring 59 people at least and have done nothing to address the situation.
"We are elected to make our community safe, not to inflict significant injuries.
"To make it safe we need the administration and officers to take positive action, not sit on their hands."
Ben Thompson