A cash-strapped council spent £500,000 on a cycle lane less than a mile long in Gorleston, Norfolk, a project funded by the government's Active Travel Fund and hailed as Norfolk County Council's flagship project to encourage cycling. The project created a new cycle lane on each side of Middleton Road, with new zebra crossings and reflective wands added to separate the road from the cycle lanes. Locals claim the new cycle lanes have made Middleton Road more dangerous for cyclists, with the street becoming narrower and more hazardous as a result.
Cyclists say they are forced onto the pavement to stay safe due to obstructions in the cycle lanes. Retailers say the loss of parking spaces has harmed trade. Misuse and obstruction problems have further complicated the situation, with mobility scooters spotted riding in the cycle lanes and delivery drivers regularly blocking them.
Norfolk County Council has not provided an official response or justification for the project, leaving unanswered questions about its planning and approval. It remains unclear what specific data or studies were used to justify the £500,000 expenditure, and the council has not outlined any plans to address the issues of parking, delivery obstructions, and misuse of the cycle lanes.