Opposition to plan for £2.35m park cycle route

A £2.35m plan to create a new cycle lane through a city park has been met with strong opposition.

Bath and North East Somerset Council has announced that work to install the new cycle lane through Royal Victoria Park in Bath will begin this autumn.

The cycle path and other planned changes will be designed to make the park "safer and more welcoming for everyone", the council added.

However, the scheme has drawn criticism, with 84% of nearly 900 people who responded to an official consultation saying they were against it.

The proposed lane will run along a one-way 10mph road that circles the park, with some parking spaces removed to make room.

It is part of a wider effort to create a cycling link between Weston and Bath city centre.

However out of the 864 respondents to the public consultation, many questioned whether the new layout would improve safety.

One cyclist, who regularly attends a running club in the park said in their survey response: "I'm a cyclist so I'm very pro-cycle lanes. I can't really understand what problem this is solving."

Theresa, a regular park user, said she and others had narrowly avoided being struck by cyclists travelling quickly along the path, sometimes approaching from behind.

But she questioned whether moving cyclists onto a contraflow lane on the road would resolve the problem.

However, the plans have also attracted support from people who want a route that feels safer for families.

Dan, a father who lives in Weston, said the new link could give children a quieter way to travel into the city while learning to ride.

The cost is being met through government funding intended to support more sustainable ways of travelling, including walking and cycling.

Cabinet member Lucy Hodge said the route would offer families a more suitable way to cycle through the park.

She added that residents' feedback had been considered during the design process and that the plans had undergone detailed safety assessments.

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