Worthing pop-up cycle lanes: Figures show number of cycle journeys, congestion impact and more

Worthing's controversial A24 cycle lanes actually resulted in fewer cycle journeys during September, figures show.
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The pop-up lanes along the A24 have proved divisive since construction started in August, with critics arguing the number of cyclists using them did not make up for the amount of congestion caused by the loss of half the carriageway.

Usage figures in a West Sussex County Council report show cyclist numbers fell once the scheme opened on September 11 and continued to dwindle into October.

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The lane was split into three parts between the Grove Lodge roundabout and Union Place - Broadwater Street West, Broadwater Road and Chapel Road.

Worthing's A24 cycle laneWorthing's A24 cycle lane
Worthing's A24 cycle lane

Council figures show for the week commencing August 31 there were a total of 7,445 cycle journeys, although no northbound journeys were tracked in Broadwater Road due to faulty equipment.

In the first full week of the lanes being open, commencing September 14, there were 7,444 cycle journeys. The following week, commencing September 21, journeys had fallen to 6,131 and a week later they fell again to 5,839, before more technical failures hindered the council's reporting.

Overall, cycle trips during September fell by 44 per cent in Chapel Road, 14.9 per cent in Broadwater Road and increased by 11.9 per cent in Broadwater Street West (although they fell consistently since the lanes opened on September 11).

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The total vehicle journeys barely changed for the duration of the scheme, meaning the same number of vehicles used the road with half the number of lanes.

The loss of a lane in both directions made traffic jams a common sight, leading the county council's officers to undertake timed drives at peak times in an attempt to gauge the scale of the problem.

According to the council report, driving at 20mph for the length of the 1.8 mile scheme took an average of under nine minutes in both directions, with the longest journey taking 11 minutes and 12 seconds.

The report said 'based on WSCC Officer observations from the drive-through data, average journey times and speeds through the scheme during busy times still appears to be within a range that might be expected'.

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Worthing's cycle lane was part of a Government-funded scheme to encourage people to cycle and get away from public transport during the pandemic. It included lanes in Chichester, Horsham, Crawley and East Grinstead, paid for by £784,000 of Government funding.

However, the county council's report has revealed the cost of officer time relating to the project was not covered by the grant, which led to other projects being delayed.

Two of the wands had to be repaired - surprisingly few considering this driver mowed down several - at a cost of £805.

On Tuesday (November 3), the council announced all of West Sussex's pop-up lanes would be removed, citing renewed investment from the Government in public transport which made then no longer necessary.