Freight lorries to start using bus/cycle Lane

10.37.00am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 12th Sep 2008

Judith Lubbock

Following the decision earlier in the year to allow lorries from the Freight Consolidation Depot at Snetterton to use the Newmarket Road bus/cycle lane, new signs have been erected today and it is envisaged the 12 month experiment will start immediately.

Eaton Liberal Democrat Councillor Judith Lubbock and Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesman for Norwich South Simon Wright have both been active in opposing the scheme. They collected a 400 name petition but this, along with objections from a number of organisations including the cycling campaign, have all fallen on deaf ears and the Conservative County Council seem determined to trial the scheme.

Simon commented "Liberal Democrats are completely opposed to the scheme. Putting lorries in the bus/cycle lane will jeopardise road safety and discourage cyclists from using the Newmarket Road cycle lane."

Judith commented "The County Council say they will be monitoring the scheme, looking at vehicle flow and speed surveys, journey times and benefits to the Consolidation Centre operation, however little is said about the effect on cyclists.

I hope that they have done surveys to show the number of cyclists using the lane prior to the experiment. I fear that this flawed scheme will see a reduction in cyclists using this cycle lane."