Middlesbrough Council Archives

Middlesbrough Council

Labour mayor Chris Cooke and Conservative mayor Ben Houcham celebrate removal of Middlesbrough cycle lane, Linthorpe Road

“Cycle lanes have to work in the real world”: £2.7 million removal of Britain’s “most hated” cycle lane complete, as mayor claims traffic now “running smoothly”

The cycle lane, which cost £1.7 million to build, was criticised for causing injuries and congestion, harming local businesses, and offering a “clear getaway” for shoplifters and drug dealers

Tue, May 12, 2026 16:00

Work begins on £2.17m removal of controversial cycle lane dubbed ‘Britain’s most-hated’

The cycle lane, which was opened in 2022, had been criticised for causing injuries, and being a “clear getaway” for shoplifters and drug dealers

Mon, Mar 02, 2026 16:43

Council pays out £85,000 to cyclists and pedestrians injured by crashes and trips caused by “hated” cycle lane

According to recent figures, cyclist injuries have dropped by half on the contentious cycle lane — scheduled to be ripped out at the end of August — since its installation in 2022

Wed, Aug 13, 2025 11:34

Cyclist injuries dropped by half after “hated” cycle lane installed, but mayor still claims scrapped lane largely used as “bike run” for drug dealers to “get through traffic”

One of Britain’s most controversial cycle lanes is set to be removed at the end of August, though other road safety features, including a 20mph speed limit, road narrowing measures, and no-entry side streets, will remain

Sat, Aug 09, 2025 09:58

Linthorpe Road, Middlesbrough (Kevin Marks, Twitter)

Is this the end for Britain’s most controversial bike lane? Mayor calls on council to scrap “hated” cycle lane and end “ridiculous saga once and for all” – costing local authority £3 million

“The people and businesses of Middlesbrough deserve better than these drawn-out delays,” Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen said ahead of next week’s vote to remove the controversial Linthorpe Road bike lane

Fri, Nov 29, 2024 13:37

Linthorpe Road cycle lane set to be removed in Middlesbrough (Tees Valley Combined Authority)

Controversial cycle lane “will close a whole load of businesses and cost jobs” claims mayor, as rival mayors clash over delays to infrastructure’s removal

After previously uniting to scrap the cycle lane, the scene of a series of injuries to pedestrians and cyclists, Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen has now claimed that Middlesbrough Council want to keep the infrastructure amid a funding spat

Thu, Oct 24, 2024 14:59

Linthorpe Road cycle lane set to be removed in Middlesbrough

“You need a degree to work out the system”: Local business owners welcome decision to rip out “absolute disaster” cycle lane which led to “lots of customers” getting parking tickets

A consultation to remove the controversial bike lane, the scene of several injuries to cyclists and pedestrians tripping over separators or dodging parked cars, begins this week, with one local mayor describing the infrastructure as “hated” and “hideous”

Wed, Jul 31, 2024 16:17

“Others have promised and failed”: Controversial cycle lane becomes battleground for rival mayors

As one local mayor made removing the cycle lane a pledge ahead of an election in May, another mayor elected for a nearby town last year has penned an open letter to residents claiming it was his "pressure" that will lead to its removal

Wed, Feb 28, 2024 13:28

Under-fire mayor accused of “abysmal failure” to rip out “disastrous” cycle lane insists works will go ahead once council can afford it

During his May election campaign Chris Cooke branded the infrastructure an "absolute disaster" after it was condemned for causing injuries to cyclists and pedestrians while also failing to deter motorists from driving or parking in it

Thu, Nov 23, 2023 13:07

Mayor accused of “abysmal failure” for failing to rip out “disastrous” cycle lane

The controversial protected lane has been the site of a number of pedestrian and cyclist injuries, as well as frequent illegal parking by motorists, since it was opened last year

Wed, Nov 01, 2023 16:45