Southend's 'dangerous' cycle divider to be removed

The concrete dividers cost about £200

A "dangerous" concrete cycle lane divider is to be removed by a council months after it was installed.

Southend Borough Council has said it will remove the raised structure after a safety review by officers.

Cyclists have complained the barriers in Devereux Road and Runwell Road are unsafe as they were hard to see.

Independent cabinet member for transport Ron Woodley said the measure had been "poorly thought out" and would be removed "within a month".

Cyclist Adam Jones said the divider, which was installed in early summer, was dangerous for cyclists and would be harder to see in winter weather such as snow.

He said: "It is not only dangerous by being raised they also reduces the width available for a cyclist, so instead of being a required 1.5m (4ft 11in) which is ideal for lateral movement on a bicycle, they are about 1m (3ft 3in) away from the curb which limits the amount of space."

Mr Jones said building the barrier then removing it was a waste of public funds, but it was a positive the council was trying to help cyclists.

Cyclists have complained that the dividers are "dangerous"

Mr Woodley agreed that the measures, which cost about £200, were unsuitable.

He said: "The cycle lane divider was installed following concerns there have been collisions between cyclists and drivers, caused by drivers cutting the corner and entering the cycle path. Dividers are commonly used to separate cycle lanes and vehicles.

"Following the construction the site was reviewed as part of the post-completion Road Safety Audit.

"Following this review, taking into consideration residents comments, we can announce we will be removing the divider and emphasising the cycle lane markings to make all users aware of its presence."