Keynsham's 'optical illusion' cycle lane to be fixed after people suffer trips and falls

A cycle lane in Keynsham which has been described as an 'optical illusion' will be changed, following the outcome of a road safety report.

Keynsham High Street had been branded "the most dangerous street in the UK" by local councillors, after hidden changes in kerb heights caused a number of people to trip an injure themselves.

Between March 2022, when the lane opened, and November 2023, Bath and North East Somerset Council had received at least 76 reports of people tripping and falling.

The cycle lane was painted red in August 2023 in a bid to fix the issue, but falls and injuries have continued. 

On Wednesday 21 February, Bath and North East Somerset Council revealed that the lane will now be relined, following a road safety audit.

The council has now agreed to replace the solid white line marking at the edge of the cycle lane with a broken white line, to "better delineate it from the kerb".

It will also install double yellow lines adjacent to the kerb between the cycle lane and carriageway, which it says should "provide an additional cue to pedestrians as they cross the highway".

The works will be completed overnight, subject to weather conditions, under a Temporary Traffic Regulation Notice, to avoid disruption to business and traffic during the day.

In response to the report's outcome, Councillor Paul Roper, cabinet member for Economic and Cultural Sustainable Development, said: “Following the Stage 4 audit report we will carry out lining work on Keynsham High Street.

"This mitigation should make the change in levels clearer to pedestrians and prevent further trips and falls.

"We are grateful for people’s patience while the audit was undertaken and the road safety report compiled, which we are acting on.”

A full report has been published on the council’s website.