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Northern Ireland’s Department for Infrastructure has said that bikes lanes along a busy Belfast road are only “advisory”, after local cyclists claimed that the lanes are “completely unusable” due to the number of cars constantly parked in them.
Despite being in place for years, the cycle lanes on the Newtownards Road in east Belfast – the scene, incidentally, of Dan Martin’s race-ending crash during the opening team time trial stage of the 2014 Giro d’Italia – are rarely used by cyclists, who have described the lanes as a “tick-box exercise” for the Department for Infrastructure.
As we saw last week on the blog, the DfI – a department in the devolved Northern Ireland Executive – has come under fire in recent years for its rather laidback approach to cycling and walking infrastructure and its apparent devotion to the “cult of the car”.
“It can be quite frustrating when you approach the Newtownards Road and all of the cycle lanes are full of cars on both sides of the road,” a cyclist from the area told BelfastLive.
“It is a constant problem and there has never been a time that I have attempted to use it that I have been able to for more than a few yards.
“It is a very busy stretch of the road and it feels like there is no reason for the cycle lane to be there at all because it is completely unusable due to all of the cars parked in it.”
The local claimed that he often receives complaints from fellow cyclists about the lanes, as well as from other residents and businesses about people riding their bikes on the footpath after being forced off the cycle lane.
He continued: “Active travel is very popular in East Belfast, which has been shown through the success of the Connswater and Comber Greenways, but there is a lot more that could be done to improve connectivity throughout the city.
“It is a shame that people are able to cycle so easily until they reach certain sections of the Newtownards Road where they are then blocked by cars.
“The DfI is absolutely devoid of any ambition whatsoever, totally devoted to the cult of the car.”
A Department for Infrastructure spokesperson responded to the complaints by noting that the cycle lanes on the Newtownards Road are merely “advisory”.
“This is denoted by a broken white line between the cycle lane and the rest of the carriageway,” the spokesperson said.
“As such, vehicles can park on the cycle lane, provided they do so in accordance with any other restriction that may be present.
“The Department encourages drivers to ‘think before you park’ and to be considerate of the needs of other road users.”
Needless to say, some weren’t happy with the Department’s definition of a cycle lane:
Is it really a cycle lane if it’s unusable for cycling? No. It’s a thinly veiled car park. Doubtless this ticked some box somewhere in the Department for Cars…. Er, Infrastructure https://t.co/lqOAnLI70f
— Brian Shannon (@BrianShannon123) June 12, 2022
yes personally I would remove all of these – not only are they of no use but they are potentially dangerous – coming down Ravenhill Rd today the ‘painted bike lane’ was car free but when I was in it then cars felt free to pass me real close to the white line – too close to me!
— mauricycle (@mauricycle) June 12, 2022
Paint is not cycle infrastructure. Never was, never will be. When it comes to cycling DfI are devoid of ambition, if not actively blocking progress. A reminder to share the road nicely is all they ever say. https://t.co/uXDph89sIu
— Stripymoggie (@StripyMoggie) June 12, 2022
‘I was parked on a cycle lane, and a bloody cyclist went past on the pavement and another one was blocking the traffic by cycling too slow… Something something road tax’ https://t.co/JinieD8qka
— Beer Bore (@Beer_Bore) June 13, 2022
A line of paint is not a “cycle lane” … active travel infrastructure in this country is a joke & the only bigger joke is @deptinfra
— Aaron (@arnoboko) June 12, 2022
Well done @deptinfra @NIAInfra what a total waste of money and time. More importantly, playing with people’s lifes who try to use them. Get on your bike, be environmentally friendly, go green my backside! Ffs get your act together! @GreenPartyNI can you actually believe this? ⬆️
— JoCroft (@CroftJo90) June 12, 2022
The complaints about the sorry attempt at cycling infrastructure on the Newtownards Road come just days after hundreds of cyclists took part in the annual Ride on Belfast on Friday.
On Saturday, Sustrans also organised a family fun day for young bike riders, mere yards down the road from the contentious ‘bike lanes’ – with both events underlining, perhaps, how far the Northern Ireland Executive is lagging behind the times…
Belfast is a #cycle city 🙌🙌#ROB8 @cyculcc pic.twitter.com/4eQajJq0u4
— See.Sense (@seesense_cc) June 10, 2022
Just took part in the Ride on Belfast cycle #ROB8 from QUB to Belfast City Hall. Great crowds out and well done @cyculcc @SustransNI @CyclingUK_NI pic.twitter.com/rAjKiAkMGu
— Michael (@MichaelC_1968) June 10, 2022
Come on down to C.S. Lewis for some bike fun today! Lots on including some alternative bikes by Cargo Bikes of Belfast and for the younger ones you can bling your bike like Evie did! #ditchthestabilisers #bcat @publichealthni @ConnsGreenway pic.twitter.com/l3Q5pnw9t1
— Sustrans NI (@SustransNI) June 11, 2022
Part of the north Belfast posse out on #ROB8. @NBCycleCampaign joins lots of cyclists around Belfast demanding better infrastructure and more protection on the roads. @deptinfra are moving slower than the Westlink at rush hour! pic.twitter.com/1EWNg5ihQM
— Dominic Bryan (@Domsball) June 10, 2022
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