A pop-up footpath in Leicester's Belgrave Road is still causing congestion for motorists - and has left a cyclist not knowing where to ride.

One of the two lanes along the city's Golden Mile was coned off last year to make it easier for pedestrians to socially distance from each other while the city was in the grip of the pandemic.

But it is causing hold ups on one of the city's main arterial routes as a result, especially as more motorists are out and about as restrictions continue to loosen.

And one cyclist has now told LeicestershireLive that it's left people who ride bikes stuck knowing what to do for the best, as they hold up cars even more if they ride along the one remaining lane of road that is still available - and they are not allowed to use a bike on the pop-up footpath.

Vijay Patel said: "My main route is to go and return back using Belgrave Road.

"I can't go on the pop up lanes as they are for pedestrians and are blocked in places.

"If I go on the road, I hold up traffic because cars can not get by me as there is no space."

Residents have previously complained of the pop-up pavement has caused 'mayhem' in Belgrave Road, is leading to unneccessary traffic jams as well havoc for emergency service vehicles - and is barely being used by pedestrians.

Leicester City Council has not yet signalled when it plans to remove the pop-up pavement.

But says it has mapped alternative routes for cyclists, who should still ride in the road if they can't avoid Belgrave Road.

A spokesperson said: "Cyclists should use the road when designated cycle routes are not available.

"In Leicester, we have put a lot of work into mapping alternative routes for cyclists that use our network of dedicated tracks and sections of quieter roads.

"In the Belgrave area, alternatives for cyclists include an off-road canal-side route to and from the city centre via Ross Walk, using the new bridge at Sock Island.

"There is also an off-road cycle route through Cossington Street Recreation Ground."

https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/cyclist-says-pop-up-pavement-5400320

On Thursday, 13 May 2021 at 17:33:19 UTC+1, swldx...@gmail.com wrote:
> A pop-up footpath in Leicester's Belgrave Road is still causing congestion for motorists - and has left a cyclist not knowing where to ride.
>
> One of the two lanes along the city's Golden Mile was coned off last year to make it easier for pedestrians to socially distance from each other while the city was in the grip of the pandemic.
>
> But it is causing hold ups on one of the city's main arterial routes as a result, especially as more motorists are out and about as restrictions continue to loosen.
>
> And one cyclist has now told LeicestershireLive that it's left people who ride bikes stuck knowing what to do for the best, as they hold up cars even more if they ride along the one remaining lane of road that is still available - and they are not allowed to use a bike on the pop-up footpath.
>
> Vijay Patel said: "My main route is to go and return back using Belgrave Road.
>
> "I can't go on the pop up lanes as they are for pedestrians and are blocked in places.
>
> "If I go on the road, I hold up traffic because cars can not get by me as there is no space."
>
> Residents have previously complained of the pop-up pavement has caused 'mayhem' in Belgrave Road, is leading to unneccessary traffic jams as well havoc for emergency service vehicles - and is barely being used by pedestrians.
>
> Leicester City Council has not yet signalled when it plans to remove the pop-up pavement.
>
> But says it has mapped alternative routes for cyclists, who should still ride in the road if they can't avoid Belgrave Road.
>
> A spokesperson said: "Cyclists should use the road when designated cycle routes are not available.
>
> "In Leicester, we have put a lot of work into mapping alternative routes for cyclists that use our network of dedicated tracks and sections of quieter roads.
>
> "In the Belgrave area, alternatives for cyclists include an off-road canal-side route to and from the city centre via Ross Walk, using the new bridge at Sock Island.
>
> "There is also an off-road cycle route through Cossington Street Recreation Ground."
>
> https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/cyclist-says-pop-up-pavement-5400320

The cyclist should ride in the carriageway. If those who choose to use oversized urban vehicles (that cause 10 million times as much damage to the road surface as a pedal cycle) get delayed they only have themselves to blame.