Our kids’ lives are at risk because of council’s £4M bike lane – cyclists whizz down like they’re doing Tour de France
PANICKED parents say their kids’ lives are at risk because of a “dangerous” £4million bike lane outside their primary school.
Cyclists reportedly whizz down the half-mile stretch in Houghton le Spring, Tyne and Wear, like they’re doing the Tour de France.
The council claims the new route, which has seen the pavement extended and road narrowed outside St Michael’s Catholic School, will improve road safety for all users.
But locals think it’s a disaster waiting to happen.
Furious mum Punam Khaira, a 41-year-old environment agency worker from Sunderland, said: “There’s going to be accidents.
“They’ve made the road extremely narrow and you can’t see children bounding onto the road from school so someone is going to end up killed.”
Wendy Willis, 53, a councillor who lives near the school, said: “Have you seen the side of the pavement?
“What is it, the Tour de France? It’s ridiculous.”
And another worried mum, who wanted to remain anonymous, added: “There’s no barriers between the children and the bikes so it’s so dangerous.
“The kids all run out at the end of the day. You can’t expect little ones not to run around. Someone is going to be killed.
“There will be both children and cyclists whizzing along the path. It’s a huge concern.”
Last year, the council announced that work on the cycle path, which starts on the border of Sunderland at East Rainton and ends at the junction of the A19, would be finished by 2023.
The lane takes in a stretch of Durham Road off which there is a small cul-de sac-where the school is.
Instead of bypassing this short distance, the bike path is being built to include it.
Laura Brown, a 31-year-old carer who has a daughter at St Michael’s, said: “Children run the risk of being hit.
“When people try to turn their cars around in the road they won’t see a child running out behind them.
“We didn’t even need a cycle path here, it’s a waste of time and money, especially given what else is going on in the country.
“I don’t see why they wanted a cycle path here, it’s a dead end anyway.”
Someone is going to end up killed.
Punam Khaira
Dinhia Lopez, 49, a nurse, said: “I’m concerned about the children walking alongside the bikes.
“Because the road is so narrow, crossing it is now dangerous, especially for the children walking by themselves through the traffic.
“Children don’t always look when they’re crossing the road and they could get hurt.
“They could be hit by a bike on the path or get hurt while crossing the road.”
And Lucy Dorian, a 41-year-old social worker whose son attends the school, added: “It’s going to be dangerous as cars can’t see children running out.”
Business owners claim they are also being impacted by the works as customers can no longer drive to their stores.
Anil Sivandan, who has run a corner shop in East Rainton for 18 years says he has seen a decrease in customers since the controversial cycle path was installed.
“Customers always come in extremely confused because they aren’t sure if they can park or not,” he said.
“If they park then they’re blocking the cycle path but there’s nowhere else to go as the cycle lane is on both sides of the road.
“We have elderly customers that have to park outside because they can’t walk from anywhere else.
“Fewer people use the store now that the path is there so it’s impacting our business.”
‘SO DANGEROUS’
The 53-year-old agreed that the path has made the whole area more dangerous for everyone.
He said: “There’s an island further along from here and the road is so narrow that cars have to go in the cycle lane to get around it.
“If there’s a cyclist and a bus coming at the same time it could cause an accident.”
The £3,747,347 cycleway is being funded the Government’s Transforming Cities Fund.
A Sunderland City Council spokesperson said: “We have seen some temporary traffic disruption as work continues on creating a new shared pedestrian and cycleway facility that will link Durham to Sunderland city centre and beyond.
“Once complete, it will provide safe designated pedestrian/cycle routes as low carbon transport links, while improving road safety for all users.
“Council officers are proactively working with those directly affected to address their concerns and are specifically prioritising working with the school to support their travel plan and drop off/pick up management.
“To formalise the parking arrangements and prevent obstructive parking, the city council has introduced an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO) in the area and made off-street parking available close by.
“This is to encourage parents to use the shared cycle and pedestrian facility and ensure the safety of the children, as well as providing safe and managed parking areas.
“Parking will be monitored, and enforcement carried out where necessary, to encourage motorists to use the facilities provided.
“We would like to thank all highway users for their patience while this phase of the works is carried out.
“Works to Old Durham Road are scheduled to be substantially complete by the end of this month, and the overall scheme is scheduled to be completed in late spring next year.”
