The cycle lane that everyone loves to hate, which runs through one of Middlesbrough’s busy thoroughfares, is set for the chop after a short-lived life of less than three years. It was confirmed by Middlesbrough Labour Mayor Chris Cooke in July that removal would begin on Tuesday August 26. Getting rid of the cycle lane was one of the issues that then-Councillor Cooke fought the 2023 mayoral election on.
One unwanted parting gift that the cycle lane has left Middlesbrough Council with is a bill totalling £85,728, which could rise even further, with 25 claims received by the council since the cycle lane was completed in 2022, six of which remain unresolved.
Several people suffered injuries from the ridged design of the cycle lane markers, including OAP Dorothy and clubber Samantha Skene, who say they tripped over it. And it wasn’t just pedestrians who suffered from the black and white rubber dividers – cyclist Paul Harris was thrown over the handlebars of his bike after it hit one of the markers.
The details of the claims have been confirmed by the local council following a freedom of information request made by the Local Democracy Reporting Service. The authority was asked for the total number of complaints received against the cycle lane. While it was confirmed that more than 20 complaints were received from various sources, the council added: “Records are not required to be retained once the matter has concluded and therefore we are unable to give exact numbers.”
When asked how many people suffered injuries after trips or falls over/on the cycle lane, it was confirmed that a total of 25 claims had been received since the completion of the cycle lane in 2022, up to July 22, 2025 (the date that the request for information was sent). A total of £85,728 of compensation has been paid out to 15 claimants, with a total of six claims still outstanding. Based on the figures provided, it can reasonably be expected that some of the remaining claims will be successful, meaning that the total paid out will rise even higher.
Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA) is footing the bill of more than £2m to strip out the cycle lane and reinstate the road, after government funding was originally used to install the lanes.
Work on the project was completed in September 2022, after the council received £1.7m in government funding through TVCA to encourage active travel. The cycle lanes were so unpopular that both Mayor Cooke and Tees Valley Conservative Mayor Ben Houchen pledged to remove them in their respective election campaigns in 2023 and 2024.
Some road safety improvements introduced as part of the scheme will be retained – including a new pedestrian crossing, the removal of vehicle access to Victoria Road and King Edward Terrace, a reduced 20mph speed limit and narrower junctions to reduce speed and crossing distances for pedestrians.
Some of the injuries previously reported on include OAP Dorothy, who was left with black eyes and a broken wrist after a shock trip over the “hazardous” cycle lane marker. The then-78-year-old was also left with multiple bruises, a mild concussion and a “nasty gash” to her forehead. Additionally, a clubber shattered her elbow in an excruciating trip over one of the bike lane markers. Samantha Skene spent roughly seven hours in A&E after the Linthorpe Road ordeal and had to have her elbow pinned.
Cyclist Paul Harris condemned the controversial cycle route in 2022, after he was thrown from his bike in an accident which saw him left with a protruding collarbone and several stitches. Following several incidents in summer/autumn 2022, a number of rubber markers were replaced with upright poles, a move which Mr Harris described as “too little too late”.
The cycle lane has received overwhelming negative feedback since its installation was completed in September 2022, being described as “disastrous” at a full council meeting in October 2023. Consultation on its removal took place over the summer of 2024, followed by a war of words between the two mayors in the autumn as to who was at fault for the delays.
When quizzed just prior to the removal date being confirmed, businesses along Linthorpe Road overwhelmingly wanted to see the cycle lane gone, with complaints focussing on the reduction in parking provision that has occurred as a result of its implementation, along with gripes about the lack of cyclists who actually use it. A major concern, raised by numerous businesses, was the hit to trade that had taken place since the introduction of the cycle lane.
A Middlesbrough Council spokesman said: “Around £85,000 has been paid in compensation to individuals in relation to the Linthorpe Road cycle lane. All claims are handled through our insurers who assess liability and award compensation where appropriate.”
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