A SCOTS council has been slammed after leaving huge lamp posts in the middle of a new cycle lane.
Cyclists have been forced to abandon the lane and mount the pavement to cycle around the large posts in Leith, Edinburgh.
At least three poles in a row have been left in the newly-created lanes – but have had red and white tape wrapped around them so cyclists don’t miss them.
Images show cyclists continuing to use the lane this week and navigating around the large obstructions in their path.
Edinburgh Council said they will be removing the lamp posts near the end of their £207m tram project.
Cycle lane work on the street started last month and is set to take around 18 month to complete.
The new route comes as an addition to the tram work in the area, with councillors claiming that the bike lane is not yet open to the public – despite it being used.
Images of the lane have surfaced online with local writing: “Well, the new Leith Walk bike lane is an accident waiting to happen.”
The post has now collected thousands of likes and hundreds of comments from users who were baffled by the sight.
One said: “If you do manage to avoid the pole in the middle you might hit that dropped section of kerb!”
Another said: “I’ve unthinkingly wandered into it on a couple of occasions. It is indeed dangerous.”
While another person joked: “Come on, they put a hazard warning strip on the pole, what more could we ask for.”
And one other commented: “’Ach, it’ll be fine, stick some red and white reflective tape on it’.”
Ian Maxwell, from cycling advocacy group Spokes also criticised the hazard, saying: “We are disappointed with the way that the design seems to be making some very obvious blunders, it’s just not sensible.
“The design of cycle routes is well established and we’re very surprised the people that are doing this haven’t followed suit.
“There does seem to be a way of thinking that is very much along the lines of a tram route taking precedence and everything else following.
“We are seeing a fundamental shift in the way people in Edinburgh travel. I’m optimistic about the future because there are some quite nicely designed spaces, but at times it still seems a bit hit and miss.”
A spokesperson for the City of Edinburgh today said: “Temporary poles provide necessary street lighting during construction and will be removed once the route is complete, as has always been planned.
“Overhead line poles will provide light in the permanent scheme but they are one of the last things to go in as part of the construction programme.
“The cycle lane is not yet open as the scheme is still under construction, and there is clear signage to notify the public of this.”
Speaking today Cycling UK campaigns and policy manager for Scotland Jim Densham said: “Although I’m not aware of the details or the future plans for the cycle lane, the current layout of the cycle lane on Leith Walk is a concern.
“Leith Walk should be an exemplar of cycle lane design and integration in Edinburgh and for Scotland.
“The recent Cycling by Design guidance is what all councils and developers should be following to make sure we have the best cycle lanes we possibly can.
“One of the key asks in the Cycling UK manifesto for the forthcoming elections in May is for councils to prioritise this for the future.”
