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Grimsby residents speak out against proposed Weelsby Road cycle lane

Weelsby Road

Grimsby residents speak out against proposed Weelsby Road cycle lane

A group of residents living on Weelsby Road have spoken out against a proposed new cycle lane which could be built along the road within the next few months.

The lane would stretch from the junctions of Peaks Parkway and Bargate, and North East Lincolnshire Council say it will create a “dedicated and protected” space for cyclists.

The Council also claims the new cycle lane – which will be funded entirely by the Department for Transport – will improve road safety and the “overall cycling experience” on the well-used route.

But many residents feel differently about the matter.

Craig Lamb, a resident living on Weelsby Road, told Gi Media: “Local residents weren’t consulted at all. The survey looks, to me, like it’s been done behind a desk. Someone’s looked at a map and thought, it’s easy to draw a green stripe running down Weelsby Road, but how will that affect local residents?

“My main issue is the parking. The cycle lane would have a massive knock-on effect on the adjacent streets like Welholme Avenue and Cumberland Avenue, which are already overcrowded anyway. There’s also two local schools just behind this block – Lisle Marsden and Oasis Academy – and crossing those roads can be quite dangerous at times because there’s far too much traffic.

“So if there were to be double yellow lines along Weelsby Road, that’s adding another 100 or 200 cars at an estimate, as well as tradesmen and deliveries. Where would they park? It would all filter to the adjacent streets, adding to congestion.

“We’ve just seen a cyclist go past now, and the traffic isn’t that heavy, but he’s on the path. That’s just a good example – the need for a cycle lane should be called into question.”

“I think another cycle lane is completely unnecessary,” said another resident on Weelsby Road.

“It’s in completely the wrong place. If they’re going to improve cycle safety, I don’t think this is the road to do it on. It’s going to harm all the local houses, and we’re in a conservation zone, which I don’t think is being thought about.”

“I’m really struggling to understand whether or not the planner has taken into account the implications of installing a cycle lane. It’ll be impossible to park at all. It’s utterly ludicrous,” said another.

A survey to ascertain the views of local people and businesses on the new cycle lane closed on 3 November.

A spokesperson for North East Lincolnshire Council said: “These are currently only proposals at this stage and we are still formulating the responses from our most recent round of engagement.

“We have engaged with cyclists, residents, businesses and colleges throughout this process and have welcomed people to submit their comments via two surveys – one about the initial proposals, and most recently, about the draft design of the cycleway.

“If the proposed project goes ahead, it would aim to provide a dedicated and protected space for cyclists, supporting the Government’s renewed focus on sustainable and active travel and the publication of the ‘Gear Change’ national plan which aims to transform the role cycling and walking can play in the transport system and the environment.”

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