A disastrous town centre cycle lane which has damaged business and caused accidents is set to cost taxpayers several million pounds.
The cycle lane scheme along Linthorpe Road in Middlesbrough was installed in 2022 at a cost of £1.7 million and was supposed to make the key arterial route ‘greener and safer’.
However, it has had such a negative impact that the two regional mayors campaigned in elections to scrap it and now more public money is set to be spent on removing the controversial new cycle lane and returning the road to its previous design.
The removal will represent a victory for local businesses who complained of a significant reduction in footfall as the cycle lane meant there was nowhere to park and customers could not even be dropped off in the street.
Raised road markers separating the cycle lane from the traffic lane also caused elderly pedestrians and cyclists to fall and suffer injuries.
Funds from the Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA) have been ‘signed off’ for the cycle lane to be removed and council officers have recommended the new road design be approved at a meeting of the council executive next week.
However, the final go ahead to start removing the ill-fated lane won’t be given until the new year as the council executive chaired by Middlesbrough Mayor Chris Cooke must wait for another report detailing the ‘value for money, business case and financial implications.’
Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen and Middlesbrough Mayor Chris Cooke have pledged to remove the cycle lanes in Middlesbrough town centre
Both Mr Cooke and Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen have backed the scrapping of the cycle lane and insist it will go ahead, although bureaucratic delays have sparked political in-fighting between them.
Raised cycle lane markers – known as Orcas – have proved a dangerous trip hazard.
A 78-year-old woman was left with a broken wrist, black eye and concussion after tripping on one as she crossed the road in August 2022.
While two months later cyclist Paul Harris, 50, was thrown off his bike after colliding with one and needed hospital treatment.
However, it was the lack of parking spaces caused by the cycle lane installation that has led to the expensive U-turn.
Earlier this year Conservative peer Lord Houchen said the cycle lane ‘simply hasn’t worked and should never have happened.’
‘It’s been a pain for businesses, hasn’t improved life for cyclists or pedestrians and it needs to be removed.
‘We’re all agreed that the status quo simply cannot remain and I’m determined we see spades in the ground to get this out before the end of the year.’
Janet Housam told MailOnline the lane has been terrible for business at Housams, her fireplace, lighting and bathroom shop.
She said: ‘It has made it impossible for cars to stop never mind even park. You can’t even drop a customer off at the front door without parking and the congestion it causes with buses and ambulances trying to get through is dangerous.’
She said the road bumps were also a constant hazard. ‘Even if you know they are there sometimes if you are in a hurry you forget. It’s a nuisance for elderly people.
The cycle lane scheme along Linthorpe Road in Middlesbrough installed in 2022 at a cost of £1.7 million will be scrapped
‘Businesses were against it from the start but the council knew better and they done it and now it’s going to cost millions to put it back again.’
Li Miao Wong, owner of the Li Beauty Nail Salon, said customers had stopped coming after getting parking tickets and the lack of parking caused by the cycle lane and badly affected her business.
Lord Houchen said funds for removing the lane were found after 75% of businesses backed the move in a four-week consultation earlier this year.
But Mr Cooke, the Middlesbrough Mayor, said the council was still awaiting financial guarantees and that was the cause of the ongoing delay.
He said recently: ‘TVCA paid for the cycle lane. It was their project. Once we have proper assurances they’ll pay in full for its removal and for the road to be restored, I am determined it should be consigned to the history books.’
The exact cost of removing the lane is yet to be revealed, but the total bill for the installation and removal has been estimated at several million pounds.
The bill to remove the cycle lane is likely to be similar to the original installation cost, bringing the total to over £3m.
Middlesbrough Mayor Chris Cooke said today: ‘I’ve always said that I want to see the Linthorpe Road cycle lane removed.
‘I’ve been clear all along – TVCA funding paid for the cycle lane to be installed, and it should pay for its removal.
‘Council officers have been working hard on this issue in the background and the next step is for TVCA to prepare a business case so that can happen.’