'˜Stop-start' cycle lane opened on busy Portsmouth road

Work has been completed on new cycle lanes running along one of Portsmouth's busiest roads.

New lines have been painted along Havant Road from west to east, but rather than running continuously the lanes run stop-start along the route.

Portsmouth City Council said the system is used because some parts of the road are too narrow to allow a cycle lane.

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But it is not clear how cyclists will be able to keep themselves safe when they are not in one of the lanes.

New white cycle symbols on a green background have also been introduced along the route, including at junctions to warn drivers that cyclists may be passing by.

The council says that it is looking at similar cycle safety improvements in Fratton, Kingston, London Road and Goldsmith Avenue.

The council’s director for transport Alan Cufley said: ‘Havant Road is a busy route for motorists and cyclists, so we’ve introduced new markings to remind road users to look out for cyclists, especially at junctions.

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‘The road narrows in certain areas so where it hasn’t been possible for a cycle lane to continue interrupted we’ve also included markings for extra awareness.’

*What do you think of the new cycle lanes? Would you feel safe using the route as a cyclist? Get in touch with us by messaging us on our Facebook page or emailing us on [email protected].