Residents are calling on the council to remove cycle lane wands under Worcester Park Railway Bridge as they 'routinely fall'.

Worcester Park residents say that the wands which make up the cycling lane are not fit for purpose and have become an 'obstacle' for cyclists on Central Road. 

Sutton Council first introduced the measures back in May - to 'make walking and cycling safer as public transport capacity was limited' due to Covid-19.

In September, the council agreed to U-turn the scheme after thousands of residents raised complaints of increased traffic and pollution under the bridge.

MORE: Sutton Council responds to cone chaos

It was reported that Sutton Council removed the measures known as 'conegate' but left the wands behind.

Your Local Guardian:

'Conegate'

Richard Johnson, of Worcester Park Residents Association, said: "At the time of conegate’s disestablishment, some of it was left behind. 

"At the time, the focus was on the relief of the release from the most damaging aspects of Sutton Council’s conegate scheme.

However, over time, it has become increasingly clear that the remaining wands pose a serious safety risk to cyclists.

"These are designed to easily be removed and detach from their mount if struck.

"As a consequence, routinely, the detached wands fall directly into the cycle lane beyond. 

Your Local Guardian:

"Riders are often seen having to avoid the cycle lane altogether, which often is reduced to an obstacle course. As a consequence, pedal cyclists take the safer option of avoiding the cycle lane and merging with the motor vehicles instead."

Councillor Manuel Abellan said: "This scheme was amended on 3 September 2020 to reestablish two-way traffic flows in both directions. 

"We decided to maintain a semi-segregated cycle lane for a small section of this road on safety grounds as per the recommendation of our traffic engineers. However, I appreciate the concerns that have been raised.

"I have asked Council officers to investigate if the current wands can be replaced with better quality materials to avoid them being knocked down so frequently."