CYCLISTS say they are ‘greatly dismayed’ by proposals to scrap a cycle lane in York city centre.

The York Cycle Campaign spoke out after City of York Council revealed its plans to remove the marked cycle lane in Station Road/Rise as part of a project to overhaul traffic lights.

Committee member Peter Sheaf claimed the authority appeared to be putting other road users’ convenience ahead of the risks to cyclists, but the council said officers were concerned the lane was providing a ‘false sense of reassurance’ to cyclists.

The campaign group said its representatives had met officials to press for the lane to be retained or for other options at least as safe to be considered, but the officers had said they believed it was not up to existing design standards, and the council hoped to introduce one of the group’s suggestions, but this might not be possible for a “significant amount of time.”

The group said it was not reassured by a proposal that might never happen. Its focus therefore was on the ‘more certain... consequence’ of the decision for people cycling through this junction - that they would not have a cycle lane to guide them.

It said officers had ruled out converting the left-hand filter lane to a segregated cycle lane because their transport model forecast it would cause extra congestion, and this ‘would seem to suggest that CYC consider the added inconvenience to some users of this junction to be a higher peril than extra risk to people cycling through.’

The council said that whilst it was keen to support cycle lanes where possible, this lane was less than half the width recommended by national guidance.

“ Positioned as it is, between two busy highway lanes, we are concerned that the lane is providing a false sense of reassurance to cyclists and there is significant evidence showing cyclists’ safety being compromised while using it,” it said.

“We have explored a number of options to resolve the issue, including looking at removing one of the traffic lanes. However, removing the cycle lane is considered to be the best option for the short term. Later this year we will be progressing another project that explores longer term opportunities for improving cycle facilities at the location.”