Controversial bike lane in Portsmouth damaged soon after installation

By Fiona Callingham, Local Democracy Reporting Service

A controversial bike lane in Portsmouth has been damaged within a week after its installation.

It comes as almost 400 residents have signed a petition calling for its removal.

Several bollards – called traffic wands – separating the cycle lane from the road along Elm Grove and Kings Road, in Southsea, have been knocked down by cars and are currently lying in the street.

Portsmouth City Council confirmed it is aware of the issue and will be replacing the bollards.

A spokeswoman for the council said: ‘It is essential they are in place to create a safe and protected route for cyclists.’

The segregated lane, the first of its kind in Portsmouth, was put in as part of a three-week trial that could be extended up to 18 months if successful.

However, more than 380 members of the public have signed a petition calling for it to be removed as it has replaced parking along the roads.

Resident Laura Pelin, who started the petition, said: ‘This will have a big impact on every business in our area and residents will struggle even more to find a parking space in the side roads.’

Two engagement sessions were held in October and 3,000 flyers with information on how to send in feedback were posted along Elm Grove, Kings Road and side roads.

Councillor Lynne Stagg, the council’s traffic and transport boss, said further feedback would shape the future of the lane.

‘In response to information we put out about the cycle lane proposals we received a wealth of feedback,’ she said.

‘From this we had to make a tricky decision on whether we put in the cycle lane as we had two strong opposing views.

‘We took on board the concerns of businesses and reduced the scheme to a three week trial.

‘Once this has been in place for a week we’ll start getting views on how it works for everyone and that will help us decide the future of the scheme.’

As previously reported, several businesses along the roads had concerns about the loss of parking.

Rahma Derzi, one of the owners of the Monkey Puzzle nursery, said: ‘Our parents will now have nowhere to stop to drop their children off other than neighbouring streets, which are already congested, and then cross two cycle lanes and two rows of traffic to get their children to nursery.

‘We remained open over the pandemic at a massive loss to provide care for key worker families yet I truly believe it will be this that is more damaging.’