Jacob Rees-Mogg calls “optical illusion” cycle lane a “failed experiment” after 59 injuries in a year

MP Jacob Rees-Mogg has criticised a bike lane after a Freedom of Information request by a councillor found that 59 people have been injured on the Keynsham High Street’s “optical illusion” bike lane, with cyclists raising concerns for safety and fearing a fatal injury if no improvements are made.

Keynsham South councillor Alan Hale found that an unusually high number of people, including both cyclists and pedestrians, tripped and fell on the High Street since the cycle lane had been put in place in last spring.

One person who tripped on the day it opened said, “There is some kind of optical illusion. There is a pale coloured kerb and a pale coloured line that look exactly the same,” while another person wrote that the cycle lane looks “like a kid drew it in their sleep”.

Now, MP for North East Somerset Jacob Rees-Mogg has chimed in on the debate on Twitter and called for an end to the lane, writing: “It should go back to being a two way street. This experiment has failed.”

> Jacob Rees-Mogg used racist term in House of Commons during swipe at “lunatic” cycle lane plans

It should go back to being a two way street. This experiment has failed.https://t.co/WFHQpj8HHl

— Jacob Rees-Mogg (@Jacob_Rees_Mogg) April 26, 2023

This is not the first time that Rees-Mogg, who previously served as Minister of State for Brexit Opportunities and Government Efficiency, has made his distaste for cycling infrastructure known. In November last year, he branded 20mph speed limits as “an anti-motorist, cash raising ploy” by tweeting a Telegraph article which said the scheme has little impact on collisions... “largely because they are often ignored”.

In 2021, the former Leader of House of Commons also used a racist term to describe the Liberal Democrats during a swipe at “lunatic” cycle lane plans set out by a “terrible socialist council”.

The bike lane in Keynsham, however, has come under fire as the kerb only exists on one side separating the bike lane from the pavement, but not on the other where it meets the carriageway. Add to that they are painted in a very similar way, making things worse.

Some work has been done on the cycle lane with the hope of reducing the number of falls. The lane, which had been plain tarmac, was painted red in August in response to — at that time — 46 incidents of people falling.

But it seems that painting the lane hasn’t solved the problems, and that the lack of distinguishable features for the kerb is the main cause of injuries. One person said: “As I stepped over the [kerb], I was expecting a flat surface which wasn’t there. I rolled my left ankle, fell, and landed on my right knee, wrist, and shoulder in the road stopping traffic.”

Conservative councillor Hale, however, has called for the cycling lane to be entirely removed, reports Somerset Live. He said: “There can be no other local authority in the country that has created a development that has succeeded in seriously injuring 59 people at least and have done nothing to address the situation. We are elected to make our community safe, not to inflict significant injuries.

“To make it safe we need the administration and officers to take positive action, not sit on their hands.”

> Council paints over cycle lane after drivers keep clipping kerb at new pedestrian refuge

But councillor Mark Roper, Bath and North East Somerset Council’s cabinet member for economic development, regeneration and growth, defended the council’s response to the issues.

He said: “The new Keynsham High Street cycle lane is built to the government’s current LTN1/20 standards, and when some early problems were identified with the double kerb down to the road surface, a series of mitigations were put in place which has had the effect of substantially reducing the number of reported incidents.

“However we have now commissioned a Stage 4 Road Safety to suggest further improvements and mitigations and prevent any further issues. This will report back early in the next administration.”

Cyclists, however, are not too keen. One complaint on the council’s web read: “Amazed that the project team has said it is “compliant” and “we will not be making any further alterations”. This is dangerous and needs sorting urgently.

“Why are there different levels, and why does the design change along the street? In places road and cycle lane both “recessed" and then the “steps down 3 levels”. And all totally level in some places. And then the small island trip hazard outside the Post Office. Little distinction between white lines and pale stone “trip hazard” kerbs.”

Have you rode on Keynsham's so-called "optical illusion" bike lane? Let us know your thoughts on it at info [at] road.cc