Confusion over 'Britain's shortest cycle lane' barely the length of a bike

27 January 2023 , 10:52

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"I hope you don't have a tandem" (Image: Joseph Walshe / SWNS)

Road users were left baffled after a council painted what could be 'Britain's shortest cycle lane' - that is barely the length of a bike.

The tiny stretch of white road markings appeared in the Stirchley area of Birmingham just opposite an Aldi supermarket on Hazelwell Street and measures around 7ft (2.4m) long, taking around a second to ride along it.

Birmingham City Council installed the stretch as a 'transitional lane' in a bid to make the road safer for cyclists to use. But locals have branded it 'bizarre' and 'a waste of money' while criticising town hall bosses for spending taxpayers' cash on a 'useless' feature.

A tiny cycle lane has popped up on Hazelwell Street in Stirchley, Birmingham (Joseph Walshe / SWNS)

Mum-of-one Lauren Hastings, 32, of Stirchley, said: "I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw it, I thought the council must have had some paint left over.

"It's completely useless, how does it benefit cyclists at all? They would be on there for a split second before they are back on the road.

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"It is probably more dangerous as it sends them straight back into traffic. You've got to laugh in a way but it's just stupid planning really.

"It's just pointless and a waste of money. I don't get why they went to the bother of even doing it."

Tom Ryan, of the TaxPayers' Alliance, added: "Opening up the road to cyclists is not a bad thing but taxpayers will see through this half-hearted effort."

"You've got to laugh in a way but it's just stupid planning really" (Joseph Walshe / SWNS)

Other baffled residents took to social media, with one commenting: "I wonder how much it cost to install that?

"They [the council] can't afford to do so many other things on our roads to make them safe 'apparently'".

Another wrote: "That's got to be a contender for Britain's shortest cycle lane."

One more quipped: "I hope you don't have a tandem."

Locals have slammed it as a waste of time and money (Joseph Walshe / SWNS)

Another web user added: "It's around the length of a bike. Brilliant. I'll look forward to cycling along it what a joke."

Birmingham City Council denied the markings are a cycle lane but were for 'formal transition purposes' for cyclists exiting a nearby crossing.

A council spokesperson said: "This isn't a cycle lane it is just for transition purposes for cyclists getting off the Toucan crossing onto the carriageway.

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"There is a shared pedestrian and cycle route that connects to the River Rea route with two new Toucan crossings on Pershore Road and Hazelwell Street.

"This carriageway marking provides the formal transition from the crossing or footway onto the carriageway."

Sophie Watson