Hunters Bridge cycle lane placement a 'moronic installation'

The cycle lane by the Hunters Bridge bus stop is located in-between a bus stop and the road, with the bus stop and footpath on its right and the road where buses stop on the left. 

Susan Parry, the concerned resident, said: “After all the inconvenience of putting in bollards, removing them and installing concrete lanes at great expense to the taxpayer - there is an area on the bridge which is an accident waiting to happen. 

Read more:

• Welwyn Garden City roads to close for walking and cycling improvements 
• Hatfield teenager assaulted during 'hate crime' 

“The reopened bus stop is a complete danger to passengers getting on and off the bus. The cycle lane runs through where passengers have to board with approximately two metres of concrete area from the bus to the bus stop. 

“I presume they are counting on cyclists/e-scooter riders to disembark at this area, but I have seen with my own eyes this is just not the case. More pertinent, how are ambulances/fire engines supposed to get by?"

Susan added that this was a "moronic installation".

The bus stop and cycle lane on Hunters Bridge. (Image: Susan Parry)

A spokesperson for Hertfordshire County Council said: “The layout of the bus stop on Hunters Bridges is in line with national cycling design guidance, which has included careful review and assessment by cycle design specialists.  

“We have decided on this solution as it complied with many considerations including frequency of bus services, bus patron demand and pedestrian volumes, coupled with the limitation of the highway extents. 

“There is good visibility, and the shared space area is highlighted well with a change of colour, raised platform, ladder/tramline paving, and give way marking on the cycle track approach ramps, together with shared space signage on approaches.

Get more stories like this delivered to your inbox every week by signing up to the Welwyn Hatfield Times In Brief newsletter.

"All of this should make for a safe environment; however, we will be monitoring the situation to ensure it does work well and make changes if they are required. 

The bus stop and cycle lane on Hunters Bridge. (Image: Susan Parry)

“For clarity cyclists are not expected to disembark, but to pass through safely across the bus boarding area and give way to bus patrons as indicated by the markings. 

“Lastly the fading road marking will be renewed in April or May. This was laid in the cold winter months which isn’t the best time of year to paint on markings, but it was needed to ensure the road could be opened as planned.”