The residents of Aylesbury have been told to ‘give trial schemes like this a try,’ following heavy criticism of a new cycle lane which has been implemented in the town.
At the start of November, bike bollards were put up along Churchill Avenue to create a lane for cyclists who live in the area.
However, several motorists have complained that the bollards make the road narrow and that the road markings haven’t been altered correctly, with one resident claiming that the new equipment could ‘cost someone their life.’
Following the backlash, Nick Naylor, Buckinghamshire Council Cabinet Member for Transport, has since responded and has explained that the scheme is ‘temporary.’
The road markings on Churchill Avenue
The bollards on Churchill Avenue
They were put up at the start of November
He said: “Since the start of the pandemic, people have been writing to me saying how much they would like to walk and cycle more, if only our streets felt safe enough to allow it.
“If we’re going to give people a real choice in how they travel, we need to give trial schemes like this a try.
“Before implementation of the Southcourt trial, we did write to local residents and also engaged with Aylesbury Town Council, the emergency services and local Buckinghamshire councillors, to let them know about the scheme details and potential benefits.
“Whilst Churchill Avenue has been narrowed by the implementation of the cycle lane towards Stoke Mandeville Hospital, the lanes are still well within national standards and suitable for all the usual traffic using the road, including emergency service vehicles and lorries.
“As this is a temporary scheme for three months, we have blacked out previous white lines and introduced new white lines where needed.
“We will keep this under review, as well as continuing to adjust and tweak aspects of the scheme, particularly in the light of feedback received during the trial.
“We want to ensure this temporary scheme works as well as possible for everyone, and we’ve had a lot of positive feedback already.
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“Whether you love the trial measures or have concerns, I’d encourage local residents and users of the scheme to provide their feedback via our website so this can be considered in the evaluation of the trial (https://www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/parking-roads-and-transport/active-travel/).”
The bollards were installed on Churchill Avenue at the start of November, to accommodate the large number of cyclists who live in the town.
There are several cycle lanes all across Aylesbury, with many leading into the town centre or nearby villages such as Stoke Mandeville and Wendover.
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