A council has been ridiculed after painting a minuscule zebra crossing within a larger crossing as part of a controversial £17 million cycle lane project in Poole, Dorset. The peculiar road markings, featuring just one or two white stripes, are intended to allow pedestrians to cross the costly cycle lane to reach a nearby bus stop. Cyclists are required to halt when they spot someone waiting to cross the 3-foot-wide bike path. However, critics fear the new layout, which has drawn comparisons to a child's play mat, will create confusion and lead to accidents.
Mini Crossings Along Ringwood Road
Several of these mini crossings can be found along the busy Ringwood Road, where the new cycle lane stretches up to 11 feet wide—actually broader than the often 10-foot-wide carriageway used by drivers. The works on a two-mile stretch form part of a wider £120 million project to install nearly 50 miles of new cycle lanes across south east Dorset. The 'Transforming Travel' programme, covering residential areas of Bournemouth, Poole, Ferndown and Wimborne, aims to encourage more residents to cycle and scoot to their destinations.
Opposition and Safety Concerns
Opponents argue it represents BCP Council's 'war on motorists' in the region, insisting the cycle paths are rarely used and represent a squandering of public money. Justin Midgley, from protest group BCP and Dorset Motorists, which boasts 6,500 members, said: 'I think these crossings will spark confusion among the general public who will think who on earth has priority now. The mechanics of it are strange as you are crossing an active cycle lane to get to a floating bus stop which is still in the cycle lane.' He added that similar bus stops have been under investigation in London for safety reasons. 'The whole layout along the road is jazzy and confusing visually. I don't think one stripe of white implies a pedestrian crossing and there is no signage for who has priority. Pedestrians will probably ignore the crossing anyway and cross where they like.'
One local resident said: 'Do the council seriously think that so many cyclists will use these cycle lanes that pedestrians must have a dedicated crossing to safely walk 3ft across them?' The new crossings have also sparked uproar on social media, with locals branding them a 'waste of money'. Joan Dane said: 'This looks like my 2 year old grandson's car play mat!' Tina Stevens said: 'Have I woken up in a parallel BCP.. a crossing within a crossing on the cycle path, presumably for pedestrians to stop while the cyclist are passing.' David Sanders said: 'Who would even realise that that was meant to be a pedestrian crossing? A lawyer's field day once people start getting injured, maimed and killed.'
Broader Issues with the Cycle Lane
Others said the council would be better served spending the money on tackling potholes. Peter Raymont said: 'It's amazing how senseless projects can take priority over maintaining flat roads with proper surfaces totally free from surface degradation such as open potholes.' Justin Morris added: 'At some point I'm going to stop paying my council tax!! Paying for all this nonsense is bloody stupid.' Motorists have previously listed a number of concerns with the cycle lane, which they claim is barely used and makes their journeys more hazardous. Pavement corners at junctions have been widened, forcing vehicles emerging from side streets to turn at almost right angles, frequently swinging out into the oncoming lane. The reduced road width leaves motorcyclists with virtually no space to overtake or filter through traffic, while lorry drivers are forced to fold in their wing mirrors to avoid clipping vehicles travelling in the opposite direction. Emergency vehicles also have considerably less room to pass through.
Council's Defence
Concerns have additionally been raised regarding the quality of materials used in the cycle lane's construction, after a 13-year-old girl suffered serious cuts to her face when the wheel of her scooter caught on loose chippings and she fell off. BCP Council said the new zebra crossings were designed to 'ensure the safety of pedestrians' and not to please motorists. A BCP Council spokesperson said: 'These markings are to ensure the safety of pedestrians crossing the cycle lanes to access bus stops on Ringwood Road. They are not there for motorists and have been installed to national design standards. The same markings were previously painted near the Mountbatten Arms roundabout on Ringwood Road to improve pedestrian access to a bus stop and on Queens Road near Bournemouth's Lower Gardens to help cyclists and pedestrians cross a narrow road safely.'
