Norwich cycle path 'inept design' tree pits filled in after complaints

The tree pits along the cycle path have now been filled in

Tree pits on a new bike path have been filled in and levelled off after the layout was described by cyclists as a defining image of "inept design".

The track in Norwich was laid with cobblestones and tree pits which narrowed the "safe" space for cyclists.

Norwich Cycling Campaign said it was "beyond belief" and "totally unfit for purpose".

Transport for Norwich said it was "always the intention for the tree pits to be levelled off".

The council said construction had not finished and it was always the intention for the pits to be filled in

The path on Prince of Wales Road is part of the fourth phase of a £2.6m revamp, mainly funded by central government.

The cycle paths are being constructed during an eight-week scheme that will also see paths widened, crossings altered and side roads resurfaced.

A spokesperson for Transport for Norwich, which is a partnership between Norwich City Council and Norfolk County Council, said: "It was always the intention for the tree pits to be levelled off to provide a suitable area for cycling and while this design would have been perfectly safe we can understand why some concerns have been raised around their appearance.

"Temporary repairs have been carried out to allow this section of the route to be opened while we look at a more permanent solution in keeping with the rest of the design."

Norwich Cycling Campaign said the material used to fill in the pits could "crumble" making cycling difficult

Jeff Jordan, of Norwich Cycling Campaign, said the group wanted a safe link between the train station and city centre, and added the path was "not remotely acceptable".

"The tree pits have been filled in but the material used will crumble with use and tree growth - the trunks are expected to double in diameter," he said.

"The material has no substantial foundation yet will form the cycle track surface. Tree roots could also lift the paving and break up the material."