A recent proposal by Devon County Council to permit motor vehicle access to Exeter's Dryden Road, a thoroughfare previously reserved for cyclists, has ignited considerable debate and public consternation. This initiative, which would see a protected cycle path replaced by a mere painted lane that drivers could enter, has drawn sharp criticism from cycling advocacy groups. They argue that the council is compromising cyclist safety in favor of motorist convenience, particularly as the plan is slated to utilize active travel funding, a move many are labeling a "disgrace."
The controversy surrounding Dryden Road began with its designation as a 'cycles only' route during the Covid-19 pandemic. This measure, intended to enhance safety for cyclists and reduce traffic, was made permanent in 2022. However, sections of the community, citing concerns about redirected traffic on adjacent roads, launched a campaign for its reopening. A petition garnered approximately 2,500 signatures, prompting the council to re-evaluate the road's status and initiate a public consultation process.
Initial discussions in January suggested a plan to reinstate two-way motor traffic while incorporating a lightly segregated two-way cycle lane. However, when the finalized options were presented this month, the protected cycle lane was conspicuously absent, replaced by an advisory painted lane. The council cited the impracticality and high cost of maintaining a protected lane due to road width constraints and the need for significant structural alterations.
This revised proposal, particularly Option 3, which includes the painted cycle lane, has been widely condemned. Cycling campaigners highlight the irony of using Active Travel England funds to implement a plan that could diminish cyclist safety. They point out that Dryden Road, with its steep incline and blind bend, could become a hazardous environment if motorists are permitted to encroach on the cycling space, potentially leading to dangerous overtaking maneuvers.
The council's public consultation was temporarily halted this week due to confusion among councillors regarding the altered proposals, specifically the removal of the protected cycling infrastructure in Option 3. Despite this pause, the consultation was restarted within two days, with no modifications to the proposed options. The council explained that further design work revealed the impossibility of a light-segregated cycle route within existing road dimensions without substantial, costly, and unviable modifications. Consequently, they opted for an advisory painted lane, which they deemed deliverable within current highway constraints.
The Exeter Cycling Campaign has voiced profound concerns in an open letter to Councillor Jacqui Hodgson, the active travel portfolio holder. They emphasize that Dryden Road serves as a crucial corridor for cyclists accessing the city center and that the proposed options, particularly those with reduced cycling infrastructure, could render the route unsafe and exclusionary, especially for children traveling to three nearby schools. The campaign stresses that active travel funding should prioritize genuinely safe and inclusive routes, not plans that undermine existing cyclist safety. The decision on the future of Dryden Road will ultimately be made at a Highways and Traffic Orders Committee meeting later in the year, following the ongoing public consultation.