29 August 2023 , 06:48
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Bizarre wriggly road markings which have left drivers and cyclists baffled since they were installed in January were more than £1million over budget, it has been revealed.
The layout was introduced by North Somerset Council in Clevedon, Somerset, earlier this year but has been met with a wave of negativity from locals. The weaving markings, designed to slow traffic, have left both drivers and cyclists confused about routes since its introduction.
Embarrassed locals started a campaign to have them removed after photos went viral and turned the town into a laughing stock. However, it has now been revealed costs for the controversial scheme, which had a £201,000 budget, ballooned to £1.3million.
Campaigners from Save Our Seafront marching against the road markings (SWNS)Councillor Hannah Young, executive member for highways and transport, told the BBC : "Costs also rose due to structural damage found under the promenade, splitting the work into two stages, and other unavoidable factors like global inflation.'
"Unfortunately, delaying the work at a time when the rate of inflation was accelerating between autumn last year and spring this year added an estimated £253,000 increase in scheme costs."
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The BBC reports North Somerset Council was given over £430K from the Department for Transport several schemes including the promenade.The authority allocated £201k towards the seafront work including new markings for bikes and pedestrians.
The council says costs increased because of inflation and changes to the project.
Cars and cyclists alike are confused about where they should go (Tom Wren SWNS)The new cycleway formed part of the 'Pier to Pier' link between Weston-super-Mare and Clevedon, with the road next to it also being made one way. North Somerset Council says the unusual lines are part of the design and aimed at making the road feel narrower and slow down traffic. However it has met with opposition, including from North Somerset MP , who described the scheme as a 'shambles' and urged council chiefs to kill off the project and apologise to the people of Clevedon.
Residents formed The Save our Seafront group which listed safety concerns about the layout to the Department of Transport, asking it to intervene. A petition against the seafront changes quickly collected more than 6,000 signatures.
A review of the new look road launched earlier in August is set to run until 25 September. New Liberal Democrat Council leader Mike Bell said: “It is really important if you get things wrong you hold your hands up and accept that and do things differently as a result.
“As a minimum I would expect us to come from this review with different processes and procedures. If we need to do things differently on the ground in a practical sense in Clevedon, then we will do that.”