Changes to Nottingham tram route after crashes involving cyclists

Nottingham tram bosses have made changes near the Chilwell Road stop after at least two incidents involving cyclists. Red surfacing and new white markings show where cyclists can leave the road, while new signs have been installed and obstructions removed to help make the route clearer.

Angela Barnett-Connolly fell off her bike as she crossed the tram tracks in Chilwell Road last year – an incident that resulted in her requiring 12 stitches after her glasses embedded in her head. She told the Nottingham Post that the route should have been better-designed in the first place.

"My crash was further down, near the church and the footpath isn't wide enough to make a dual pedestrian and cycle path.

"I suppose what they're trying to do is make the best of a bad situation. They should have thought it through a little better and now they're back-tracking and making things as best as possible in order to reduce their liability.

"By the fact they're taking it on board and trying to make some changes, they're saying 'ok, there's a problem and we're trying to address it'. Realistically speaking that road is never going to be wide enough to accommodate everyone."

A subsequent incident saw another cyclist, who did not wish to be identified, hit by a car after the wheel of his bike got stuck in tracks on the stretch of tramway between Central College on High Road and Devonshire Avenue.

In February, Broxtowe MP Anna Soubry suggested it was only ‘a matter of time’ before a cyclist was killed. She called for clear signage telling cyclists to dismount and suggested that rubber inserts be added along that part of the tram route.

A month later, one local cyclist resorted to spray paint to express their feelings. Directly beneath the bicycle symbol on the asphalt, they added the words “unsafe bike lane.”

At a recent meeting of the Greater Nottingham Light Rapid Transit Advisory Committee, David Lally, a representative from local cycling campaign group Pedals, called for cyclist priority on some of the westbound roads where side roads intersect. He suggested that motorists using the side roads should offer priority to the tram and cyclists.

The meeting heard that there were no plans to spend more money following the recent modifications.