Clevedon seafront changes branded 'Yellow Brick Road'
Locals woke up to the changes which were made overnight
Further changes overnight to a seafront road in Clevedon has upset some locals in the area - with some branding it a 'Yellow Brick Road' and 'perhaps a new runway for Bristol Airport'.
The new paving comes amid the major scheme which has so far installed what a local campaign group is calling 'confusing' wiggly lines and a 'crop circle' for a roundabout.
Both were removed in the middle of the night by contractors from North Somerset Council to be replaced with the yellow-coloured paint where the lines used to be.
According to the campaign group 'Save Our Seafront', they claim residents in the seaside town are not just 'baffled' but also 'shocked and heartbroken' at the changes.
These plans - which are well underway and which have seen a petition against them - are to make the road a one-way route with a cycle lane which stretches across the length of the seafront, of about 400 yards.
Despite the opposition, and calls from the RAC that the changes are 'confusing', it was previously claimed by the local authority that the plans were being made to improve the safety of cyclists and pedestrians along the seafront 'with the combined effect of both slowing traffic down and discouraging parking at the roadside'.
Save Our Seafront spokesperson Cathy Hawkins said: "The curving lines on Clevedon seafront were Mickey Mouse crazy. The crop circle was even worse. But this horrid yellow brick road and cross causing confusion to drivers is horrible. This has destroyed our once beautiful Victorian seafront making into a complete mess.
"Confusing motorists, cyclist and pedestrians is never a clever idea. We are against the changes for many reasons and want the seafront put back to how it was. But we are primarily concerned about the safety issues. loss of parking and the effect on local businesses in the area who are 100% against the scheme.
"We received safety information from North Somerset that shows in the last 5 years there have been only two personal injury accidents in the whole scheme area. This is an exceptionally good safety record and suggests the expression when auditing road schemes; ‘if it isn’t broken, don’t try and fix it’.
"Both accidents involved injury to non-motorised road users (one pedestrian and one cyclist), and the changes are likely to increase the potential risk for similar accidents of both natures.
"We are turning in circles trying to get our voices heard. We protested the changes in the hope that North Somerset would at last listen and talk to us about our safety, parking concerns and the detrimental effect on trade for the local businesses. However instead they have now added a completely bonkers cross and yellow brick road making the road scheme even more crazy.
"We have begged them for over 2 years to meet and talk to us about this scheme, but they have always refused and despite the leader of the Council Mr Steve Bridger saying ‘That he will engage with the community and listen’ he has failed to do so even when we wrote to him personally to request a face to face meeting.
"Our meeting arranged to discuss the scheme was cancelled as we were told it was in Purdah so it couldn’t be held because of the local election in May and now this has happened under the cover of darkness. We are devastated."
A spokesperson from North Somerset Council, which has implemented the changes to the road, said: “The new surface road treatment in Clevedon is designed to make the area safer by helping slow traffic down.
"We expect many more visitors to come to Clevedon after the Pier to Pier Way opens later this year, which will bring more walkers and cyclists to the area. These works have made the area safer for all and also supports our commitment to provide sustainable travel routes across the area.
“The scheme has provided seven new crossing points, improved pedestrian and cycle user safety and will bring additional parking to the area.
"The new buff coloured surface marks new pedestrian crossings, the space between car parking and the cycle lane as well as on the roundabout. The material was chosen in consultation with conservation officers and is frequently used in historic environments around the UK, for example Oxford, Bath and London.”
Read more: 'Let's wiggle down the wavy lines!' - Campaign group conga down 'barmy' Clevedon seafront