Britain’s ‘shortest cycle lane’ is barely the length of a bicycle – and locals are mocking the council
WHAT could be Britain's shortest cycle lane has been revealed - and it's barely the length of a bicycle.
Road users were shocked when the tiny stretch recently appeared in the Stirchley area of Birmingham.
The white-painted markings on Hazelwell Street measure around 7ft (2.4m) long and it takes barely a second to ride along.
Birmingham City Council installed the cycle lane to make the road safer for cyclists.
But locals have branded it "bizarre" and "a waste of money" while criticising town hall bosses for spending taxpayers' cash on a "useless" feature.
Lauren Hasting, 32, said: "I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw it."
"I thought the council must have had some paint left over.
"It's completely useless. How does it benefit cyclists at all?
"They would be on there for a split second before they are back on the road.
"It is probably more dangerous as it sends them straight back into traffic.
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"You've got to laugh in a way, but it's just stupid planning, really.
"It's just pointless and a waste of money. I don't get why they went to the bother of even doing it."
Tom Ryan of the TaxPayers' Alliance added: "Opening up the road to cyclists is not a bad thing but taxpayers will see through this half-hearted effort."
Birmingham City Council denied the markings are a cycle lane but were for "formal transition purposes" for cyclists exiting a nearby crossing.
A council spokesperson said: "This isn't a cycle lane. It is just for transition purposes for cyclists getting off the Toucan and crossing onto the carriageway.
"There is a shared pedestrian and cycle route that connects to the River Rea route with two new Toucan crossings on Pershore Road and Hazelwell Street."