Skip to main content

VIDEO: People see red over white elephant of a blue bike lane

November 1, 2016
The Scottish roads authority has backpedalled on its recently improved cycle lane along a major route on the south-west coast, close to the city of Ayr.

Amid local authority concerns over traffic congestion and one man’s media-grabbing protest, the cycle lane will now be ripped out – after being installed this summer.

As the video shows, it is a protected wide lane, often painted blue. Cars appear to travel freely beside it.

But residents, city folks and local government councillors decided it was %$Linker: 2 External <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?><dictionary /> 0 0 0 oLinkExternal one cycle lane too many Visit www.ayradvertiser.com website false http://www.ayradvertiser.com/news/14786829.The_Holmston_Road_cycle_lane_will_be_RIPPED_UP/ false false%>. Consultation with the public has meant the lane will be wiped out, as reported by the local newspaper Ayradvertiser.

On man, a 63-year-old retired engineer, decided %$Linker: 2 External <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?><dictionary /> 0 0 0 oLinkExternal to protest Visit www.dailyrecord.co.uk website false http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/watch-ayr-mans-bizarre-rowing-8900855 false false%> by setting up a rowing machine in the middle of the €67,000 bike lane to show it is little used.

Scottish government figures show there are around 3,815km of National Cycle Network routes. Just over 1,000km are traffic-free routes which use a mix of railway path, canal towpath, forest road, shared-use path, segregated cycle lanes and redetermined rural footways. The remainder of the network is on road and, where possible, it incorporates lightly-used rural roads or quiet urban streets.

Related Content

  • Element Six promises up to 40 times the life of standard milling machine picks
    February 7, 2013
    Element Six, the synthetic diamond division of DeBeers, has developed a revised design for its D Power road picks, claiming greatly extended working life. The D Power road pick will use a polycrystalline diamond (PCD) tip with an improved head design that incorporates tungsten carbide to provide greater protection to the steel pick mount. The company claims that the D Power road pick can deliver up to 40 times the life of a standard carbide pick, providing reduced downtime, increased efficiency and a better
  • On-highway regulations point to Scania off-highway emissions solution
    January 6, 2017
    Scania will be showing both Euro 6 engines for its on-highway truck range and Stage IIB/Tier 4 Final powerplants for off-highway use. The company will use both exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) and selective catalytic reduction (SCR) to meet the coming regulations, as with its current Stage IIIB solution. This means the fitting of a diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) but no requirement for a DPF. Scania engines are currently in use in Terex and Doosan articulated haulers, along with a number of Terex crushing ma
  • On-highway regulations point to Scania off-highway emissions solution
    February 7, 2013
    Scania will be showing both Euro 6 engines for its on-highway truck range and Stage IIB/Tier 4 Final powerplants for off-highway use. The company will use both exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) and selective catalytic reduction (SCR) to meet the coming regulations, as with its current Stage IIIB solution. This means the fitting of a diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) but no requirement for a DPF. Scania engines are currently in use in Terex and Doosan articulated haulers, along with a number of Terex crushing ma
  • Faresin shows upgraded telehandlers
    January 6, 2017
    Faresin Industries has expanded its telescopic handler range with the addition of the FH8.40 and the rotating Storm 22.45 evo. The FH8.40 sits in the range between the established FH7.45 and the FH9.30. The machine has a capacity of 4tonnes with a maximum lift height of 8m. Higher up the lifting scale, the Storm 22.45 rotating handler can manage up to 45tonne lifts, with a maximum height of 22m.