ECO-CONSCIOUS parents have started a bike convoy as they call for a new cycle lane.

The group of families is calling for a new cycle lane that is "better planned" than the controversial Old Shoreham Road lane so that they can commute to school with their children safely.

The Old Shoreham Road bike train meets up every Friday morning to safely get their children to school where the cycle lane used to be, and parents are calling for a new cycle lane to be implemented.

The “train” departs from 8.35am from Boundary Road and ends up at the Bilingual Primary School in Hove for 9.00am.

The Argus: The train on its way to school in Old Shoreham Road.The train on its way to school in Old Shoreham Road.

They are hoping to turn it into a daily commute if demand is high enough.

Ben Kelly, a father from Hove who helped start the bike train, said while he can see how “contentious” the old cycle lane was, they are calling for a new one that is “better planned”.

He said: “It’s one hundred percent in response to the bike lane being taken out.

“We had only just started using that route whilst it was still a temporary route to get to school because we wanted to reduce our car journeys.

“Using that road is a lot more dangerous when you don’t have a cycle lane there. Cars whiz past at speed and in volume. It was not a nice journey in comparison.

“We thought we’d do a bike train to get safety in numbers, what we basically do is ride two abreast, take up the whole lane and cars can then drive around us.

“They take a more considered manoeuvre around us than if we were just single-file.”

 

There is currently a petition for a new cycle lane on Old Shoreham Road, which Ben and several parents are calling for. They said they will keep up the cycle train to show “there is demand for this”.

In terms of the new cycle lane, Ben wants something “better planned” than the last one.

He said: “Just something better planned, I can see why it was contentious with motorists. I have a car myself, I’m a motorist and a cyclist. I can see where its frustrating but the sheer number of cars is a problem."

The group’s full route starts at Boundary Road, before going past Holmes Avenue, Weald Avenue, Hove Park and eventually the primary school.

If you are interested in the petition, you can sign it on the city council petition website.

Have you got a story for us? Email news@theargus.co.uk or contact us here.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to keep up with all the latest news.

Sign up to our newsletter to get updates sent straight to your inbox.

You can also call us on 01273 021 400.