'World's deadliest cycle lane' with no safety measures is removed after backlash

04 August 2023 , 17:02

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A bicycle lane which ran through the centre of a dual carriageway has been removed after a campaign (Image: Newsflash)

A bike lane dubbed the 'most deadly' in the world has been removed after a campaign by furious cyclists.

The perilous route ran right down the middle of a dual carriageway in Canto do Buriti, Piaui state, Brazil - but it had no safety barriers, leaving cyclists to dice with death just inches away from trucks, coaches, and cars.

It sparked an angry online campaign to get it replaced after an astonished rider uploaded footage to Instagram. In a caption alongside the video, they asked 55,000 followers: "Does anyone know if this bike lane in Piaui really exists?

"Because I can't believe it. If it does exist, would you dare to ride your bike on it?"

The cycle lane with no barriers had been installed on the dual carriageway in Canto do Buriti, Piau, Brazi (Newsflash)

New footage shows the erasing of the bike lane (CEN)

The clip ended up being watched by tens of thousands of cyclists - and left them cracking their own jokes about the obvious death-trap. One quipped: "If it doesn't hit you on the way there, it will hit you on the way back." Road officials finally removed the bike lane on August 3, soon after the footage emerged, and a more recent clip shows the lane having fresh tarmac laid over it.

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The man who filmed the path told local media: "In the morning, I went there, around 10.45am, and took several videos and photos. When I returned in the afternoon, the government was already covering it with asphalt, around 2.30pm. It all happened very quickly; the controversy surrounding this cycle lane spread across the country and the world.

Offering his views on the road layout, engineer Kidner Prospero had earlier told local media: "Common sense tells us that this puts the cyclist in danger. Best practice does not recommend making this type of bike lane. So ideally, a bike lane should be made on the side of the road, or if it is maintained in the middle, barriers should be installed."

The Department of Roads and Motorways of Piaui said later in a statement: "Regarding the construction of the bypass road in the city of Canto do Buriti, 400 kilometres south of Teresina, the Department of Roads and Motorways of Piaui informs that construction is still ongoing, and there will be no bike lane in the central lane. When completed, the construction will comply with all safety regulations required by law."

Benedict Tetzlaff-Deas