A cycle lane that traverses the entrance to a side road in Exeter should be changed so that “cyclists give way to vehicles”, according to an independent county councillor who posted several videos of his visit to the location titled ‘I Could Have Killed a Cyclist Today… But Whose Fault Would It Have Been?’
> Why don’t cyclists use cycle lanes?
Councillor Ed Hill – a former Reform UK member who is now the independent councillor for Pinhoe & Mincinglake following his expulsion from the party for publishing a letter about free school meals citing names of all Devon’s Reform councillors without their consent – posted no fewer than five videos from various perspectives to argue that “the only solution” for making the junction safe would be for cyclists to have to give way to road users turning into Pinbrook Road from Exhibition Way.
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We’ve embedded DevonLive’s highlights reel of Cllr Hill’s five clips above for brevity, in which the publication claims the “dangerous cycle path set-up” is “creating a constant stream of arguments between drivers and cyclists” based on Cllr Hill’s footage and testimony.
Hill, who says he parked his camper van nearby to film the junction from several perspectives, is seen from the driver’s seat of a LGV after his introduction from the roadside, claiming he can “hardly see anything at all” of the cycle path as he’s turning left into it at a 45-degree angle.
“So if there’s a cyclist travelling down the cycle path at the moment, from this position I can’t see them because my blind spots are too big on the left hand side of the vehicle”, claims Hill.
A cyclist then appears as Hill is about to continue his manoeuvre: “That was perfect timing”, he says.
“There was no way I could have seen that cyclist and there was no way I could have given way to him, even when I was being as cautious as I was. The priority on that cycle path is completely wrong. It should be set up so that cyclists give way to vehicles, not the other way around. Because you can’t give way to somebody that you can’t see.”
Hill then says that based off the maximum 15.5mph assisted speed of a street legal electric bike (EAPC), a cyclist will be travelling “…around 15 metres in just over 2 seconds—enough to move from the start of the blind spot to the middle of the junction before a driver has any realistic opportunity to see them.”
“At the same time, a driver is checking for traffic approaching from the right, steering through the turn, monitoring pedestrians and attempting to observe the priority crossing”, he continues.
“This isn’t just about the Highway Code; it’s about human factors and designing roads that account for how people actually drive.”
Saying that he will question Devon County Council on how the design was approved as safe, Hill calls for the white give way markings to be removed from the main carriageway, replaced instead by give way lines on the cycle path and a ‘slow’ sign to warn cyclists to slow down as they approach.
Highway Code rule 183 states that motorists should “…give way to any vehicles using a bus lane, cycle lane, cycle track or tramway from either direction, including when they are passing slow moving or stationary vehicles on either side” when turning left. To answer Cllr Hill’s question as the top of his original post, then, he would have undoubtedly been in the wrong if he’d killed a cyclist at this junction according to the Highway Code.
Devon Live’s Instagram post attracted the attention of Shaun “Big” Jobber, a liability specialist with hundreds of thousands of followers across TikTok, YouTube, Facebook and Instagram. He did not have much time for Hill’s recommendation that the junction be altered.
“Adequate observations on approach to the turn when you’re travelling at normal speed (not a crawl) will reduce the risk here driver”, said Jobber.
“As you’re approaching, observe whether cyclists are using the shared cycle pedestrian pathway or not, if not, then you’ll know it’s fine to turn, they don’t appear out of a portal from nowhere, your windows and mirrors will reveal anyone as you approach the turn.”
Despite Hill claiming that he had been told of “repeated” near misses at the junction, a spokesperson for Devon County Council said: “We have not received any other concerns regarding this junction.
“The junction has been designed in accordance with the latest national cycling infrastructure guidance and the current priority arrangement reflects changes to the Highway Code introduced in 2021, which require drivers turning into a side road to give way to cyclists travelling ahead of them.”
Cllr Hill’s preference for cyclists giving way to other road users also extends to ‘floating’ bus stops, as he took to Facebook again on Friday to argue that Exeter’s bus stops utilising the controversial design should have pedestrian crossings, a design brief already adhered to in London.
[sic] “FLOATING BUS STOPS SHOULD HAVE CROSSINGS — AND CYCLISTS MUST GIVE WAY”, said Cllr Hill.
“Between 2020–24, collisions involving a single pedal cycle and pedestrian resulted in 9 pedestrian deaths and 738 serious injuries in Great Britain. This isn’t anti-cycling. It’s pro-safety and good road design. If London can do it, Exeter can too.”
The Exeter Cycling Campaign – that has frequently clashed with Hill on his social media posts around cycling – agreed on this occasion, saying: “We asked [Devon County Council] to consider this over two years ago at Rifford Road. Now that the new floating bus stop guidance is published (Jan 2026) we hope they will now reassess. We have suggested the same for the side road crossings to reinforce even further the priority for people on mobility scooters, bikes and foot.
“Rifford Road is a great example of good transport for all (including motor vehicles). If every street in Exeter offered the safe and easy options for all that Rifford now does, then we would be a very different City. But if it can be even more inclusive then that is great.”
2 thoughts on “Cycle path “creating a constant stream of arguments between drivers and cyclists” should be altered “so cyclists give way to vehicles”, demands councillor expelled from Reform UK”
“A cycle lane that traverses the entrance to a side road in Exeter should be changed so that “cyclists give way to vehicles”, according to an independent county councillor”
Newsflash: Bicycles are vehicles.
Now what?
I’ve had a brief look on Facebook, and Ed Hill (who now appears to be affiliated with Advance UK) seems to have taken some useful road safety improvements under his remit, including an initiative to help local pedestrians on unpaved roads, where the wider council won’t help due to planning failures.
Regarding the cycle path, I think this is linked to a wider misunderstanding about giving way at junctions and I’m afraid I cannot agree with Mr Hill’s conclusion.
Regardless of the suitability of the cycle path, vehicles should give way at the junction to both pedestrians crossing and cyclists. It seems to be a poorly understood rule among motorists where some believe they have priority at junctions like this, where they certainly do not.
I once had a similar issue myself, while leisurely walking to Waitrose to buy some lunchtime fripperies. A driver beeped their horn as I crossed the junction, despite me having priority, and was shocked and apologetic when I explained I had priority.
A polite conversation later, the driver departed, educated and updated on the rules of the road.