Drivers are furious after council told cyclists to IGNORE the cycle lane and instead use the whole road after the Highway Code was changed

A BARMY council has enraged motorists by telling cyclists to ignore a two-metre cycle lane and use the middle of the road instead.

Cyclists in Boscombe, Dorset “now think they own the road” after the council painted bicycle symbols in the middle of the busy road and encouraged drivers to use them.

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Bournemouth Christchurch & Poole (BCP) Council’s move ignored the option of the cycle path running alongside the A35 and has angered the local community.

Local Nick Beck asked, “If there’s a dedicated bike lane, why are they told to bike on the main lane?”

Steve Martin said: “They lay out bike lanes and then paint bike symbols on the main roadway.

A spokesman for the BCP Council said: “We have recently renewed the roadway and widened the cycle lanes to current standards.

“The highlighted road markings are designed to encourage cyclists to take a prominent position in the lane.”

Changes to the Highway Code earlier this year allowed cyclists to ride in the middle of quieter roads and in twos abreast, but Donna Clarke argued that “It should be in the Highway Code that cyclists must use cycle lanes if they exist.

“This is absolutely ridiculous and causes traffic jams, delayed emergency vehicles and torn spirits.”

The BCP Council declared a climate emergency in 2019 and pledged to make all of its operations carbon neutral by 2030.

Locals believe the latest move is part of a conspiracy to evict motorists from the roads.

The council infuriated its constituents again last year when it spent £102million to build two cycle lanes along a main road.

Drivers have said this left no room to make way if an emergency vehicle needs to pass, as the new bike lanes are separated from traffic by 6-inch raised curbs and “restricted” traffic.

On their website, BCP officials boast of having “improved the safety of cyclists and walkers at key transport sites with the £312,000 Government Emergency Active Travel Grant”.

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