Pop-up cycleway is finally removed

Cycle route was criticised by motorists for tailbacks

People in Horsham have said it is ‘time to start celebrating’ after the controversial Albion Way cycle route was removed.

Work began on Monday to take down the pop up cycle way, which has been labelled a ‘terrible waste of money’ and an ‘absolute joke’ by readers.

First installed in September, at an estimated cost of more than £14,000, the lane ran northbound on Albion Way, with the county council receiving government funding to encourage cycling as an alternative to public transport and car travel.

But the route has been subject to heavy criticism from motorists due to the tailbacks it caused.

Then the county council revealed in early November the route would be axed with residents overwhelmingly supporting the move.

While the Horsham District Cycling Forum admitted it was not a great scheme in its current form, the group believed the cycle lane was a start ‘that could and should have been improved’.

The removal of Horsham’s pop-up cycle lane in Albion Way has been welcomed by readers with one saying ‘get the flags out and let’s start celebrating’.

Works started to take down the route – which has been under fire since its installation – on Monday after West Sussex Council revealed earlier this month the lane would be scrapped.

Running northbound from the Worthing Road roundabout to the Madeira Avenue roundabout, the route faced a huge backlash with readers criticising the lane as a ‘terrible waste of money’ and an ‘absolute joke’.

Reacting to the news on the County Times Facebook page Jonathan Miles said: “Get the flags out and let’s start celebrating.”

Janice Trussler added: “[The] sooner the better!”

Jackie Geoghegan said: “Thank god for that. What a huge waste of money.

“Could have used it helping those that are struggling to survive.”

The route is one of a number of schemes which have been introduced across West Sussex.

However the county council has decided to remove all but one, with a decision still pending on the future of the Shoreham scheme.

The Horsham pop-up cycle lane was set up during the summer as the government provided emergency funding for active travel schemes.

However it proved unpopular, receiving an overwhelmingly negative response.

In taking the decision to scrap the pop-up cycle lanes Roger Elkins, the county council’s cabinet member for highways and infrastructure, explained they had fulfilled their main objectives and the ‘extraordinary environment that led to their installation no longer exists’.