“Is that the tree repeatedly struck by passing vehicles?” Fuming residents slam “eco-vandalism” as bike lane project sees 10 trees cut down “all for the odd cyclist” – but locals ridicule “nature-loving car drivers mourning tree loss”

A week after plans for a new cycle lane in Coventry were approved – following months of protests, which even attracted the support of Sir David Attenborough, from residents angry that 26 trees were set to be felled to make way for the scheme – Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole (BCP) Council has become the latest local authority to attract the ire of locals, after residents accused it of “eco-vandalism” for cutting down 10 trees to allow work to begin on a new cycleway.

The trees, located along the existing foot and bike path on the Ringwood Road in the Dorset seaside town of Poole, were cut down earlier this month as part of an improvement scheme BCP Council says will enhance “safety, encourage active travel, and reduce traffic congestion”.

However, opponents of the new cycleway have branded the decision to remove the trees as “hypocritical” and “ridiculous”, claiming that the number of cyclists who use the road is “minimal” – with one resident arguing that the 10 trees were cut down “all for the odd cyclist”.

But the council says the trees in question were “overgrown” and obstructing the footpath, and that replacements, along with a number of additional trees and extra landscaping, will be introduced on the road.

Meanwhile, local cyclists have noted the irony of motorists discussing the scheme’s ‘green’ merits when they remain staunchly opposed to active travel policies, with one even claiming that one of the trees in question on the Ringwood Road was “repeatedly” struck by passing drivers over the years.

 (BCP Council)

According to BCP Council, with thousands of motorists using it every day, Poole’s Ringwood Road – a key route servicing Poole town centre, several retail and business parks, two hospitals, Bournemouth University, and a number of schools – is one of the region’s “busiest roads, with traffic volumes at saturation point”.

The local authority’s new transport improvements scheme, work on which began in September, will use the £17.5m secured by the council from the government’s Transforming Cities Fund to build a new 2.7km two-way cycle track, with new or improved toucan, zebra, and parallel crossings, alongside two new bus lanes, 1.8km of improved pavements, and 23 junction enhancements.

“The new bus lanes will help bus services run reliably and efficiently, and the new and improved walking, wheeling, and cycling facilities will help children, students, the local workforce, and residents travel to and from school, university, work, and the town centre safely,” Andy Hadley, BCP’s portfolio holder for climate response, environment, and energy, said when the scheme was announced earlier this year.

“Collectively these measures will encourage more people to walk, wheel, or use public transport, freeing up the roads for those that really need to use them.”

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However, the loss of 10 trees along the route to allow for the construction of the two-way cycleway has been criticised by some local anti-cycling campaigners.

Earlier this year, Poole resident Bob Lister led a campaign and legal challenge against BCP Council’s decision to permanently close one of the entrances to Poole Park, to prevent motorists using it as a cut-through.

Poole claimed the gate’s closure, which the council said will “enable more people to enjoy relaxing, walking, wheeling, running, or cycling” in the park, was made to “appease the cycling brigade who have wanted cars banned”.

And speaking to the Daily Echo this week, Lister has now criticised the “hypocritical” actions of the Liberal Democrat-controlled council in cutting down 10 trees to make way for a “green” cycle lane.

“I’m not anti-cyclist, I cycle myself, but the number of people who cycle on that road is minimal – there was a cycle path there before and it was not used much,” Lister said.

“Have the council done any sort of survey to check how many people will use this cycle path?”

(Julia Cutler, Facebook)

Lister’s suggestion that the road, one of the busiest in the area, is barely used by cyclists was also echoed by one Facebook user, who responded to a photo of one of the stumps posted on social media by claiming that the trees were cut down “all for the odd cyclist, I suppose”.

 “The council say they want to protect the environment and wildlife,” Lister continued. “By chopping down trees for a cycle path they have done the reverse. It’s very hypocritical.

“Birds would nest in those trees and they absorb the carbon dioxide, this policy is anything but green.”

Meanwhile, fellow resident Pete Salmon, accusing the council of “eco-vandalism”, said: “I cycle and drive and I can understand why the council are doing the cycle lane improvements but some of the decisions are ridiculous.”

> ‘Tree-hugging’ cycle lane opponents ‘backed’ by David Attenborough accuse council of spreading “misinformation” – but local authority says trees are only being cut down because residents opposed loss of on-street car parking

However, not everyone was up in arms about the tree felling, with one social media user sarcastically noting the irony of “nature loving car drivers mourning the loss of a tree”, while another even asked: “Is that the tree that has repeatedly been struck by passing vehicles?”

“Sure, it would have been better to keep the trees and reallocate the road space for buses and cycling only, but the motorists would have complained,” added Ross.

Responding to the complaints over the loss of the 10 trees on Ringwood Road, a spokesperson for BCP Council said: “The trees have overgrown the available space, and obstructed the existing pavement and cycleway.

“We will plant replacements as well as additional trees and new landscaping as part of a carefully managed plan to ensure the new trees thrive and become part of a healthy landscape for years to come.”

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“The removed trees were middle aged and from a variety of species including common lime, hybrid black poplar, rowan, ash, field maple, red oak, and Turkish hazel,” Hadley added.

“The new trees will be installed in tree pits that will help them to grow healthily and crucially without the roots heaving up the pavement surface, which can create trip hazards for pedestrians.

“The trees to be planted are a mix of field maple, crab apple, Scots pine, flowering cherry, oak, and small leaved lime. They have the ability to thrive in urban conditions, their size, form, and characteristics to make a positive contribution to their surroundings as well as their value to wildlife.”

> “We could have saved more trees”: Council approves loss of 26 trees to build cycle lane — but “saddened” authority says felling due to residents rejecting reduced road width

As noted above, the furore on Ringwood Road isn’t the first time this year that the construction of a cycle lane has been opposed by residents on the grounds that it will lead to a loss of trees along the road.

Just last week, Coventry City Council confirmed that 26 trees will be cut down and replaced with 32 new saplings to make way for a new protected bike lane – after months of controversy which saw residents stage a mass tree-hugging protest, gain the public support of Sir David Attenborough, and accuse the local authority of “spreading misinformation” after a council worker claimed the scheme’s original design, which would have saved the trees, was rejected by locals due to plans to reduce the number of on-street car parking spaces.