Extinction Rebellion holds cycle protest along ‘dangerous road’ in Portsmouth

Members of Extinction Rebellion Portsmouth and other environmental groups staged an hour-long cycle from the Harvester in Eastern Road, down to Milton and along Southsea seafront on Sunday (June 14).

The group of around 12 people deliberately took up one of the southbound lanes along Eastern Road to protest against a recent decision by the city council to scrap plans for a temporary cycle lane along there.

One of the organisers, Selma Heimedinger, said the demonstration was 'well received' by passers by.

She said: 'Along Eastern Road there are two lanes in each direction for cars. We took up one of those to show how much it is needed.

'It was really well received. Cars gave us plenty of space and pedestrians were encouraging us as we went by.

'When we heard the original plan from Portsmouth City Council to create a cycle lane there we thought "this is great - something is actually being done."

'And then we couldn't understand, and lots of people couldn't understand, when it was cancelled. It's such a dangerous road. We need a proper cycle path there.'

Plans for the temporary cycle lane were scrapped by the council amid concerns over congestion and increasing traffic levels as lockdown was easing.

It would have been part of a bid for £192,000 of funding from government to encourage walking and cycling in the city during the pandemic.

SEE ALSO: Controversial bike lane scrapped days before work was due to start

Selma added: 'The current pathway there for cyclists and pedestrians is not good enough. It's not wide enough for people to pass each other safely. And there's no path along the other side of the road so you have bikes going in both directions.

'The council keeps saying it would like people to walk or cycle to commute to work but coming down Eastern Road is not safe and will put most people off.

'We all know the benefits of cycling both for the environment and for people's health.'

Last week the council submitted its bid for the £192,000, the plans for which have yet to be shared with the public.

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