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Cycle Lane Removal on Linthorpe Road Divides Council Leaders

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Tees Valley Conservative Mayor Ben Houchen has stated that the removal of the Linthorpe Road cycle lane is expected to take place in July, citing a "procedural, technical process" issue with Middlesbrough Council. This claim contradicts Middlesbrough Mayor Chris Cooke, who stated that work on removing the cycle lane will start in the summer, but did not confirm the July date.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Linthorpe Road cycle lane was constructed in 2022 and has been a point of contention, with its removal being a pledge made by Middlesbrough Mayor Chris Cooke in his 2023 campaign.
  • Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen stated during a BBC Radio Tees "hot seat" session that the removal of the cycle lane is "definitely happening" and will take place in July, before the summer holidays begin.
  • Middlesbrough Mayor Chris Cooke stated that work on removing the cycle lane will start in the summer, but did not confirm the July date, citing ongoing discussions with a construction partner to finalize details.
  • The cycle lane removal has been greenlit by Middlesbrough Council's Executive in February this year, but Mayor Houchen acknowledged that the process has been slow, taking over a year since his election promise.
  • Mayor Houchen and Mayor Cooke appear to have differing views on the timing of the removal, with Mayor Houchen pushing for the removal to take place before the summer holidays and Mayor Cooke stating that work will start in the summer.
  • The removal of the cycle lane has been a contentious issue, with both authorities involved and a safety audit completed, but the design work is still being finalized.

Statistics:

  • The cycle lane was constructed in 2022 and removed in July, according to Mayor Houchen.
  • The week of removal was not specified, but Mayor Houchen stated that he wants the removal to take place before the summer holidays in mid-July.
  • The removal of the cycle lane is expected to take less than eight months, according to Mayor Cooke.
  • The Linthorpe Road cycle lane was installed in February 2022 and completed in September of the same year, taking approximately seven months to install.
  • The removal of the cycle lane has been a point of contention for over a year, with Mayor Cooke's pledge to remove it in his 2023 campaign.

Sources:

  • Ben Houchen, Tees Valley Conservative Mayor, BBC Radio Tees interview, May 15.
  • Chris Cooke, Labour's Mayor of Middlesbrough, BBC Radio Tees interview.
  • Middlesbrough Council's Executive, meeting minutes, February.
  • Chris Booth, photographer, photos of Middlesbrough Mayor Chris Cooke and Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen on Linthorpe Road.

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