I HAVE just read online an article from February titled “Calls to ditch ‘unlawful unnecessary’ cycle lanes around Colchester”, and, eight months on, in addition to creating traffic congestion, there is a danger to pedestrians navigating these lanes while crossing the road.

On August 24, on a visit to Colchester, while crossing St John’s Street between Culver Square shopping centre and St John’s shopping centre, I tripped over the cycle barrier, was pitched headlong into the cycle lane, and fell heavily, breaking a bone in my right elbow and possibly my hand exactly because the raised barrier is creating a tripping hazard for people with even minor vision problems.

While there are gaps in the raised portion of the barrier, both the barrier and the crossing gaps are not sufficiently different from the road itself and they need to be made much more clearly visible than they actually are.

Read more >> Reader letter: Cyclists have too much influence on barriers 'sucking the life out of businesses'

As a stranger to the town, I would like to commend the people who came to my assistance, including a traffic warden who was on the scene in seconds and was able to redirect cyclists around me, and a helpful lady involved with Colchester Ambassadors, who summoned first aid assistance in the form I believe of the manager of the Culver Square shopping precinct, but I was surprised to learn from them that they were all aware that other people have fallen over these cycle lane barriers.

I wonder how many times this has happened since installation.

>> You can read the Essex Highways response HERE. <<

I am not myself seriously visually impaired, but do wear varifocal spectacles, and as well as people like myself, these barriers must form a significant hazard to others with worse visual or mobility impairment.

I have been disappointed at how difficult it has been to navigate Essex County Council’s website to notify the appropriate department of the clear and present danger.

And also by the bland and unsympathetic response I have so far had to my suggestion that the barrier needs to be made much more clearly visible from Essex County Council’s Safer Greener Healthier campaign, who have simply passed on my concerns to the Highways Department.

Mrs P V Irving

via email