A SURVEY on a controversial cycle lane has revealed the majority of people are against it remaining.

In May, residents woke up to the new cycle route taking up two lanes of the A270 Old Shoreham Road, one of the main arteries into and out of Hove to the west of the city.

Since then, Brighton and Hove City Council has been asking for feedback on the lanes.

A report, handed to councillors before a key meeting next week reveals 66 per cent of people would not be happy if the change is made permanent.

Of the respondents, 63.3 per did not support its introduction, compared with 34.1 per cent who did.

Conservative Councillor Dawn Barnett, who has been a vocal critic of the scheme, said: “It has been proven that nobody wants it, nobody likes it and it’s not safe so the sooner they remove it the better. They can remove it as quickly as they put it in as far as I’m concerned. The people have spoken and they want it removed.

“The council should learn to consult before they start the work and ask what people want, not just do whatever the council wants.”

The schemes were introduced with government funding to provide a socially distant, safer and more active way of travelling throughout the coronavirus pandemic.

Of those who responded, about 35 per cent said it enabled them to maintain social distancing, about 30 per cent said it made them feel safer and about 30 per cent said it enabled them to travel more actively.

The ten per cent of people who said they would be happy for the lanes to be made permanent, if changes are made, cited “segregation of cyclists from traffic” as the key change.

Chris Williams, who petitioned the council to make the cycle lane permanent, said: “‘The consultation highlights a catch-22.

“Because fewer people cycle than drive, fewer people use the cycle lanes than the vehicle lanes, so fewer people think they’re necessary.

“However, with an increase in cycling of 61 per cent, the temporary lanes on the Old Shoreham Road are doing their job.

“Families now use the route to get to the many nearby schools, and people from Hangleton and Portslade commute along it.”

The 61 per cent increase in cycling on the road is comparing a figure from 2016 and has previously been called into question.

In a bid to government, Brighton and Hove City Council said 545 cyclists are using the Old Shoreham Road lane in Hove a day – up from 358.

Labour South Portslade councillor Les Hamilton said: “Although this seems like a high number, it is, in fact, very small and represents only two per cent of road traffic.

“In terms of the increase in cyclists, if you start with a very small number, any increase is going to look impressive and its significance overstated.”