Marine Parade Cycle Lane Opens A Month Early

Marine Parade Cycle Lane Opens A Month Early

The two mile stretch of Marine Parade between the lido and the Bandstand opens to cyclists on Monday morning, four weeks earlier than the date given when the work started in June.

Contractors finished the resurfacing over the bank holiday weekend and the last of the temporary barriers came off on Thursday. The lane runs behind the sea wall for most of its length, so riders are separated from traffic all the way from the lido car park to the Bandstand steps.

What changes on Monday

The southbound bus stop outside the amusements moves about thirty metres towards town, and there is now a give way where the lane crosses the entrance to the lido car park.

If you drive that stretch, that junction is the one to slow down for. The sightline out of the car park is short, riders will be coming from your right, and they will be coming downhill at a fair speed.

Parking on the seaward side stays as it was. The bays between the Bandstand and Marine Parade Gardens are still two hours, still free before nine, and the council has said it has no plans to change either this year.

The bit that is not finished

The final two hundred metres, from the Bandstand round to the harbour approach, is still fenced. That section needed more drainage work than anybody expected and there is no date on it yet.

Until it opens, riders are dropped back onto the road at the Bandstand, which is the busiest part of the whole route. Take it steadily.

What you have told us

We have had a fair few messages about this one and they split roughly down the middle. Riders are pleased. Several people who park along there are not, because the consultation drawings last autumn showed those bays going and nobody has said clearly that they are staying.

We have asked for somebody to come on and answer that, and we will tell you when they do.

If you use the lane in the first week, let us know how you get on. Ada reads the messages out on the way in.