An ‘optical illusion’ kerb is still causing problems for pedestrians despite the council spending £11,000 to fix it.
The cycle lane had been added to Castle Place in Belfast as part of an environmental scheme launched by the Department of Infrastructure 2021.
Extending the footway into the cycle lane created an ‘optical illusion’ that caused pedestrians to injure themselves, council officials have said.
However, since its installation, which cost £52,000, the kerb has confused pedestrians and large barriers have been in place for more than two years.
The barriers were erected after a pensioner fell off the kerb losing two front teeth and suffered facial injuries.
To fix the problem the council spent over £11,000 last year on consultants fees to draw up proposals to redevelop the cycle lane.
Now officials will spend more money in the hopes of finding a solution to the problem, The Telegraph reports.
The cycle lane had been added to Castle Place in Belfast as part of an environmental scheme launched by the Department of Infrastructure 2021
Since its installation the kerb has caused confusion among pedestrians and has had large barriers in place for more than two years
A DfI spokeswoman said that the barriers had been put in place ‘in response to concerns over pedestrian and cyclist safety’.
They added that plans are underway to install a permanent cycle lane at the location.
However, the problems remain and locals have called the large orange barriers an ‘eyesore’.
Belfast councillor Gary McKeown, of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP), said: ‘It’s unbelievable that after two years and over £11,000 of public money being splashed out by the Department for Infrastructure to get some ideas about what to do, still we are stuck with big orange plastic barriers in the heart of our city centre.
‘It’s an absolute mess, especially when there’s wind and the barriers collapse like dominos, creating even more risk,’ he added.
Belfast City Council have been approached for a comment.
It comes after motorists slammed fake speed bumps painted along a busy school-run to look like real ones an ‘absolute waste of paint’ as locals just ignore them.
The virtual 2D humps were designed to slow down speeding drivers along a road leading to two schools in Swanscombe, Kent, replacing concrete bumps that has damaged cars over the years.
Residents called the virtual 2D speed bumps (pictured) a ‘waste of paint’ as locals know they are not real
Police close Stanhope Road which has the painted on speed bumps following a traffic incident
But residents have blasted the new ‘optical illusion’ speed bumps because locals know they are not real.
Arriva bus driver Katie Bell drives along the road more than 50 times a day and claims the 2D road cushions, which act like an optical illusion, do little to slow down traffic.
The 46-year-old said: ‘It is an absolute waste of white paint.
‘People speed along there as they know there aren’t bumps. I’ve heard drivers beep others because they are driving too slowly over them.
‘I can’t quite believe they came up with the idea in the first place.’
Similarly Somerset council refused to pay any compensation to victims who tripped on it’s ‘optical illusion’ cycle lane.
The route through Keynsham High Street was branded ‘the most dangerous in Britain’ with locals blaming a ‘trick of the eye’ design.
A shopper is helped to his feet in April after tripping over the cycle lane and falling to the ground in Keynsham High Street, Somerset
The cycle lane has been branded as ‘the most dangerous in Britain’ with shoppers outside the bustling town centre tripping over a ‘hidden’ kerb
Photos show how it appears to be flat at a glance – but actually passes over an elevated pedestrian crossing.
A Freedom of Information Request submitted by the Local Democracy Reporting Service has now revealed 40 people have sought compensation from the Bath and North East Somerset Council for their injuries.
To date no payments have been made with 30 claims having been dismissed while 10 remain ongoing.
Since it was installed by Bath and North East Somerset Council in March 2022, more than 100 people have been injured on it.
