Anger at new bike racks in Brighton (From The Argus)

Hanover neighbours' anger at new bike racks

6:30pm Friday 4th May 2012 in News By Tim Ridgway , Local government reporter

Cycle racks will replace parking spaces to reduce “fly parking” of bikes.

Brighton and Hove City Council has begun installing the large metal structures in parts of Hanover to stop people blocking pavements with their vehicles.

But some residents, many of whom cycle, are unhappy, claiming they were not consulted on the plans.

Despite a group in Howard Road, Brighton, claiming 19 out of 24 homes oppose the plans, the local authority has continued to install them.

Bev Barstow, of Howard Road, said: “The first we all knew about it was on Friday when the council taped off an area at the end of the street. After canvassing neighbours we spoke to the council but they knocked us back.

“We are not anti-bike racks at all, we just want to be listened to.

“They just dogmatically want to install them without talking to us.”

Two-thirds of households in the road signed a petition calling on the council to halt the work pending consultation.

Howard Road resident Mike Ward said the racks will become a “bicycle graveyard”. He said: “Our voice has been completely strangled. We were not given the opportunity to express our feelings about the cycle racks.”

Fin McInally, who also lives on the road, said: “People are not against bikes or pro-cars but are upset by the fact that this happened without any consultation.

“The council said they went through all the legal process necessary but the fact is that no-one on the street knew that this was going to happen.”

He said if they had known about the proposals earlier residents would have tried to negotiate for fewer cycle spaces.

The council said racks were also being installed in Islingword Place and Milton Road, Brighton.

A spokeswoman said council staff had met the residents’ association chairman but did admit parking would be reduced by 1.8 metres – about one space.

Seventeen residents and ward councillors were written to about the cycle space in Howard Road in January but no objections had been received, she said, adding: “The council has put numerous similar facilities in residential areas throughout the city which have proved extremely popular”