A cyclist has slammed the council for ‘installing unsafe infrastructure’ and says a Deansgate delivery bay leads to vans driving head on towards bikes in their protected lane.
Dominic Parry commutes on his bike to the city centre from Prestwich. His route takes him through Deansgate, which has undergone a radical transformation since the Covid-19 pandemic, with segregated bike lanes being installed.
Initially, these lanes were protected by plastic barriers, but since June ‘interim’ measures have been fixed in place , with more permanent bollards installed. However, as this bike lane provides access for a delivery bay and is only wide enough for vans to drive up, Mr Parry says cyclists have nowhere to go.
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“It’s dangerous, it’s more dangerous than not having the barriers there,” the 47-year-old 3D construction modeller told the Manchester Evening News . “There could be a van parked in the delivery bay that tries to set off and it’s coming straight towards you. It seems to me that’s what’s been designed in.
“There is a dotted entrance and exit for the lane. At one point it’s as narrow as a cycle lane so if someone is parked there, where do you go?”
Now, Manchester City Council has confirmed that access to the delivery bay is through the cycle lane, which Mr Parry says is ‘messed up’. However, after the M.E.N. raised the issue, council bosses confirmed that a camera will be installed to police the use of it, which is time-restricted.
A spokesperson for the council said: “The implementation of the revised cycling infrastructure went through a robust design process and was taken to statutory consultation where the public were able to feedback on the scheme. A Road Safety Audit was also carried out with no adverse comments received in opposition of the road’s revised layout.
“Loading is currently restricted to 6.00 - 10.30am, a restriction which will shortly be enforced through the use of a camera to ensure that the safety of cyclists is maximised.”
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