Concerns have been raised about a newly installed cycle lane in Cheltenham, some residents claiming the design has left their driveways hard to access and amounts to a “safety issue” — however, the council responsible has issued an extensive defence of the infrastructure, while some other locals have disagreed with the criticism online and suggested anyone complaining needs driving lessons.

The noise surrounds the Evesham Road stretch of a cycle lane in Cheltenham, a small section of a 26-mile ‘spine’ project that Gloucestershire County Council hopes will link Bishop’s Cleeve to Stroud via Cheltenham and Gloucester. In total, the project is expected to cost £48m and has seen bike lanes, shared-use paths, junction upgrades installed, this section offering users a protected route out of Cheltenham in the direction of the town’s racecourse.

Cycle lane feature
Cycle lane feature (Image Credit: Various)

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In a piece published by the BBC, some who live on Evesham Road raised complaints that the newly constructed cycle lane has reduced driveway access and made it difficult to get out onto the road. The infrastructure, seen in the image illustrating this article during construction, has since been painted green with additional kerbing added to create a protected barrier between the road and cycle lane. 

One resident, Alice Reeve, suggested it is now “a safety issue” that should be addressed.

“We need to get the access wider. It somehow needs markings so that people can see it in the dark,” she said. “I don’t know if there is any way of slowing down the traffic. But the kerbs are too high.”

Likewise, Liberal Democrat councillor Julian Tooke said, “Lots of residents have written to me to tell me that turnings on and off Evesham Road are dangerously sharp since the installation of the cycle lane.”

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Another comment online suggested “a five-year-old had a part in the planning” and the design is “a joke”.

However, Gloucestershire County Council has defended the cycle lane in question and pointed out it is designed in line with national highway design standards and has been independently reviewed twice by a road safety team. A spokesperson added that residents had been met “several times” by members of the council and contractors.

“We are confident that there is ample visibility from the driveway when exiting or entering to see pedestrians and oncoming cyclists, but of course all drivers are still expected to be suitably careful of all road users when accessing their property,” they said.

And it seems some others from the area agree with the council, one comment online asking “how fast are these cars going” for these turnings to be “dangerously sharp”?

Another comment said: “There was consultation so they should have said then, not after. Take some driving lessons to ask: ‘How do I approach and exit’.”

On the project’s website, the local authority explains:

There is significant independent and impartial evidence that providing high quality cycle infrastructure increases the number of cyclists. We know that cycling in parts of Gloucestershire is in excess of the national average, particularly in Cheltenham, where good infrastructure exists. In addition, we are following government guidance to deliver better cycling and walking infrastructure found in Gear Change, the Department for Transport (DfT) vision for cycling and walking in England. This highlights that 2020 saw a 46 per cent increase in cycling, evidencing the potential that exists for this mode of travel if low traffic routes and routes segregated from traffic are available.

The new cycleways will be suitable for all users, including the young, elderly, disabled and the less mobile. The route will provide separation from traffic wherever possible, to further attract those who would previously not have considered cycling or did not feel confident to cycle along the road.

The need for a cycle route between Cheltenham and Bishop’s Cleeve has long been recognised. Currently, cyclists have to either navigate a busy A road or use routes through Racecourse land to travel between Cheltenham and Bishop’s Cleeve. There is a real need and desire for a safe and direct cycle link between Cheltenham and Bishop’s Cleeve. 

The local authority will hope its conviction and belief in the scheme is paid back in a similar way to the situation Swansea Council enjoyed late in 2024. Despite claims a cycle lane would increase collisions and was “dangerous”, collision figures from South Wales Police showed that there were no “serious” incidents in the three years since the cycle lane built and “slight” incidents were reduced too.

Blocked driveways and cycle lane criticism was also a story that emerged from Dorset in recent times, upset locals claiming they had been “blocked” in their driveways by wands installed to segregate the route from traffic.

Wimborne Road cycle lane wands (YouTube/DorsetSaferRoads)
DorsetSaferRoads) (Image Credit: Farrelly Atkinson)

However, as Andy Hadley, cabinet member for roads and cycle lanes at BCP Council, said in his response to the backlash, part of thinking is to prevent drivers from blocking it by parking their cars in the bike lane.

He did however also accept that in certain locations where it had created “most difficulty” the council would “listen to feedback” and “adjust the positions of wands to ensure continued property access”.