Permanently blocked Sheffield cycle lane becomes unlikely social media star

A Sheffield cycle lane which can almost never be used due to badly parked vehicles has become an unlikely social media star.
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The five-metre long path, which is on Sandford Grove Road in Nether Edge, has been posting pictures of its continually blocked state as the ‘Sad Cycle Lane’ on Twitter for more than a month.

In the last five weeks, the @CycleSad account has tweeted 34 pictures of the lane blocked by badly parked cars and vans, with only one photo showing the path in a usable state.

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It is unclear who has set up the account, but it would appear to be someone in the area who has grown tired of seeing the path rendered unusable by inconsiderate parkers.

The cycle path has been blocked for 34 days out of the last 35 (photo: @CycleSad).The cycle path has been blocked for 34 days out of the last 35 (photo: @CycleSad).
The cycle path has been blocked for 34 days out of the last 35 (photo: @CycleSad).

The Twitter account’s ‘biography’ states the lane is ‘a small but perfectly formed contraflow cycle lane’ which aims to get people ‘safely and legally to their destination’ and records its location as ‘probably under a car’.

Each new picture showing the lane blocked is accompanied by the words ‘sorry I can't help you today, I'm blocked’, while the one photo which shows the path clear reads ‘open to riders, my spirits are lifted’.

The person who created the account, who preferred to remain nameless, said: “It started as a bit of a frustration that cyclists aren't able to take advantage of the dedicated infrastructure, here and other parts of the city due to cars parking on it.

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"Yet at the same time you hear drivers complain that cycling infrastructure is a waste of money and that no one uses it.

“With more people now using bikes to get to work and school it's important that drivers realise that safe routes for vulnerable road users take away some of the stress of sharing road space with vehicles.”

Since the coronavirus crisis began, Sheffield Council have been keen to encourage people to use their bikes rather than cars to get around the city.

Some of these scheme have been well received while others, such as the temporary cycle path at Shalesmoor, were heavily criticised and later withdrawn.

Sheffield Council have been asked to respond.

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