Jacob Rees Mogg speaks out on ‘optical illusion’ cycle lane

Jacob Rees-Mogg has weighed in on a debate over an 'optical illusion' cycle lane[1] in Keynsham that has led to dozens of injuries. On Wednesday (April 24), Somerset Live[2] first reported that 59 people had been injured on Keynsham High Street where a cycle lane was installed last year. Sharing a news story on Twitter, the MP for North East Somerset said: "The dangerous consequences of the motorist-hating LibDems for the people of North East Somerset."

Earlier in the week, Mr Rees-Mogg - who landed a show on GB New earlier this year - said the road "should go back to being a two way street" and that he thought "the experiment has failed". Keynsham South councillor Alan Hale obtained the figures from Liberal Democrat-run Bath and North East Somerset Council. At the time, his Freedom of Information request discovered that 59 people had sustained an injury since the new route has been put in place, and he warned someone could face fatal injury.

On Thursday (April 27), a man from Hanham became the latest casualty[4] of the cycle lane.

Dave Dawson was visiting the high street when he sustained cuts and bruises to his hands and knees as he stepped off the kerb's edge. At this time, a total of 21 people[5] have pursued personal injury compensation claims against the council in relation to the road. Seven of these were rejected but the rest remain open and under investigation.

Mark Roper, the council's cabinet member for economic development, regeneration and growth[6], defended the council's response to the issues. He said: "The new Keynsham High Street cycle lane is built to the government's current LTN120 standards, and when some early problems were identified with the double kerb down to the road surface, a series of mitigations were put in place which has had the effect of substantially reducing the number of reported incidents.

"However we have now commissioned a Stage 4 Road Safety to suggest further improvements and mitigations and prevent any further issues. This will report back early in the next administration."

Cllr Roper added that all reported falls are carefully examined, including by CCTV, to establish where and why they happen, and the council is currently "working hard to deliver further improvements". The new cycle lane was first launched in March 2022 after nine months of work. One person who fell described the cycle lane as an "optical illusion" as there were kerbs and painted white lines which looked similar to each other.

References

1. ^ 'optical illusion' cycle lane (www.bristolpost.co.uk)
2. ^ Somerset Live (www.somersetlive.co.uk)
3. ^ Anger as 'optical illusion' Keynsham cycle lane leads to staggering number of injuries (www.bristolpost.co.uk)
4. ^ became the latest casualty (www.bristolpost.co.uk)
5. ^ a total of 21 people (www.bristolpost.co.uk)
6. ^ council's cabinet member for economic development, regeneration and growth (www.bristolpost.co.uk)