Closed
Gutter with uneven surface and high slope make cycle lane is dangerous to ride
Reported via desktop in the Potholes and maintenance category anonymously at 21:50, Wed 16 July 2025
Sent to Oxfordshire County Council less than a minute later
For over a year the cycle lane along Unite Students accommodation on Hollow Way had an uneven surface which is sloped towards the curb to accommodate the gutter. This prevents cyclists from using the full width of the cycle lane and forces them onto the street, which is unsafe given the number of cars on this road and many pedestrian crossing refuge islands where cars overtake without keeping safe distance. This road is used by parents carrying children in seats and bike trailers, and has a very wide pavement which could be converted into a proper cycle path or at least reduced to separate water drainage from cycle lane and avoid cyclist falling over due to the cycle lane being really a gutter in half of its width. In wet weather puddles form and make the surface more slippery than that of the road because most of the cycle lane is covered in water.
The cycle lane narrows down to 1 mete of which only half is usable given the gutter and dangerous kerb. When taking photos I was a witness of a driver overtaking dangerously and forcing a cyclist into the gutter. The pavement could easily accommodate a proper cycle path so it is not for lack of space; I understand this might not be a council's priority to create a cycle path there (and although this would be ideal, not what I am asking for in immediate future), but at least if the gutter was re-engineered to not take up the width of the cycle lane (possibly at cost of the pedestrian sidewalk) that would certainly prevent a number of accidents and close calls (especially given the proximity to the driving test centre and daily influx of inexperienced drivers in Ls)
Council ref: ENQ251053690
Updates
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State changed to: Investigating
Updated by Oxfordshire County Council at 21:50, Wed 16 July 2025
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Thank you for observations and for your suggestions that will be carefully reviewed as part of our ongoing commitment to improving road safety. Should the assessment reveal a significant risk or a strong need for alterations we will consider it within our broader traffic management and safety improvement strategies. Especially regarding future East Oxford Active Neighbourhood schemes. We appreciate your proactive contribution to enhancing our community's safety and thank you once again for your valuable input.
State changed to: Investigation complete
Posted by Oxfordshire County Council at 09:08, Mon 21 July 2025
This report is now closed to updates from the public. You can make a new report in the same location.