Residents express safety concerns over cycle path

Residents say the changes have made access to their homes too narrow

Residents have raised safety concerns over a town's new multi-million pound cycle path.

Gloucestershire County Council is constructing a 26-mile cycle spine linking Bishop's Cleeve to Stroud via Cheltenham and Gloucester.

But people who live on Evesham Road, Cheltenham, say the changes have made access to their homes too narrow and that they are forced into the opposite lane because of a tight turning angle when turning left out of their homes.

The council said the £48m cycleway had been built in line with national highway design standards.

The council added the path had been independently reviewed by a road safety team twice.

Residents are calling for entrances to be widened and kerbs to be lowered and made more visible to road users, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Residents Alice Reeve (L) and Carol Tallis (R) with councillor Julian Tooke

Resident Alice Reeve said she feared it would only be a matter of time before someone is seriously hurt.

"It's a safety issue," she said.

"It's got to be addressed. We need to get the access wider. It somehow needs markings so that people can see it in the dark.

"I don't know if there is any way of slowing down the traffic. But the kerbs are too high."

Councillor Julian Tooke said residents had contacted him with concerns.

"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," he said.

A Gloucestershire County Council spokesperson said: "We along with the contractor have met with residents at this site several times and appreciate their concerns raised.

"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."