A council has been slammed following the introduction of the 'most pointless cycle lane in the UK'.
Nottinghamshire County Council had the 10ft lane installed on a roundabout at the junction of Ilkeston Road and Pasture Road, in Stapleford, Nottinghamshire, last week.
It only stretches halfway around one side of the mini-island and takes only a couple of seconds to ride, prompting many locals to label it a total waste of time and money.
Simon Lafferty cycles through the town on his way to work as a software engineer and he's far from impressed.
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The 37-year-old said: "It has got to be the most pointless cycle lane in the UK. You're on it for two seconds, if that, and then there's no continuation of it anywhere nearby.
"I thought cycle lanes were supposed to make travel safer but what's the point of one where you're back among traffic on the main road before you can blink?
"I just couldn't believe my eyes when I saw it. That lane is doing nothing to encourage people to get on their bikes.
"I obviously welcome cycle lanes as long as it's done properly. But this is just comical really and a crazy waste of taxpayers' cash."
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Local resident Jim Fearnall echoed this view.
The 56-year-old said: "It's completely useless and more dangerous if anything.
"I'm not sure who had this bright idea but they need their heads examining. It makes the area a laughing stock."
The new feature at the roundabout was introduced after Stapleford Town Council received a government grant of £21.2m as part of the Local Towns Fund.
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The council has stood by how it has used a portion of this cash and has claimed that actually, it isn't a cycle lane at all.
Speaking to the Metro, the council's service director for place and communities, Derek Higton, said: "I can confirm that this is not a cycle lane but new road markings which were introduced as part of a casualty reduction scheme to improve safety for cyclists at this specific location.
"There have been multiple accidents where cyclists have been injured at this junction in recent years and as such the contrasting road surfacing, along with improvements to signage and the junction itself, have been introduced to alert drivers to the presence of cyclists.
"Similar measures have been used at other locations both in the county and nationally previously and have had a positive impact in reducing casualties."
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Stapleford North Councillor Richard MacRae is not buying this 'excuse' though.
He said: "I couldn't stop laughing, apparently a cycle path's not a cycle path.
"If I am parked on double yellow lines and the traffic warden comes, I'm going to tell him, 'sorry mate, these are not double yellow lines, these are just road markings'.
"I've never heard anything so ridiculous in my life. It is blatantly a cycle lane because it's got cycles on it... it's just a poor excuse."
Featured Image Credit: SWNS