Council to scrap £1.7m cycle lane just eight months after it was introduced

Labour’s Chris Cooke committed to scrapping the Linthorpe Road cycle lane, which has just been in place for just eight months, during his campaign. However, he will be looking at alternative routes in its place.

A council spokesperson could not confirm how much it would cost to remove it and stated that the amount would not be known until it was properly brought forward as a proposal.

Mr Cooke said: “I have pledged to get rid of the Linthorpe Road cycle lane and there will be a new scheme looked at once the executive is in place for a different site. The work won’t start yet because there are budgetary constraints to consider and it has to be well thought out but it will be going as soon as I can.”

The cycle lane cost £1.7m to install and the funding came from a £310m transport pot controlled by the Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA). It is understood that the council would be responsible for the removal fees.

When asked if he was concerned about the amount it would cost to remove the lane, Mr Cooke said: “I am concerned about the amount of injury it has caused, I am concerned about the amount of reports that I have had that emergency services can’t get down that road, and I am concerned about the amount of businesses that are saying it has directly impacted their ability to operate.

“I am concerned about all of those things and I think this is sadly a necessary cost now.”

The scheme, which was approved under former Independent mayor Andy Preston, has faced major backlash. In September, 78-year-old Dorothy was left with two black eyes and a broken wrist after tripping over a divider. While 27-year-old Samantha Skene shattered her elbow after she tripped following a night out at The Townhouse.

Cyclist Paul Harris was thrown over the handlebars of his bike after it hit one of the dividers, suffering a bruised and protruding collar bone, three stitches above his left eyebrow, and multiple nasty scrapes. Businesses along the stretch have also been vocal opponents, saying it has led to a loss of custom and caused problems for deliveries.

However, there has been an increase in cycle journeys along the stretch when comparing figures from the same months last year. The average in March 2022 was 185 and in April it was 205, while in March 2023 it was 239 and in April it was 261.

The cycle lane was delivered as part of a 10-year strategic transport plan across Teesside, Hartlepool and Darlington spearheaded by the TVCA. A spokesperson for the combined authority said: “This was a Middlesbrough Council project and any changes to the scheme are the responsibility of the council and its elected members.”