THANK you Brighton and Hove Council for making last week our worst week of the Covid-19 lockdown.

Whichever “intelligent” council members decided to introduce the new cycle lane to coincide with the reopening of the Hove amenity tip have made our lives living near the tip unbearable.

The council obviously realised at the last minute there were going to be problems as on the Saturday prior to the opening there were no less than 11 council employees standing at the top of the tip “scratching their heads” obviously trying to work out a “plan” to resolve the problem.

On the first day cars started queueing before 8am down the access road even though the tip does not open till 10am.

The queueing has been marshalled by three or four council employees every day.

The new cycle lane has left only one lane open in each direction so as soon as the access road is full the employees have to wave any further cars piled with rubbish onwards.

The drivers who do not realise this start trying to turn into the tip consequently blocking the traffic lane.

Throughout the day we have had to endure raised voices from both council employees and drivers, with many very unpleasant swear words and arguments.

We are plagued by drivers held up in this process constantly sounding their car horns.

The drivers who are waved on simply drive round the block returning several times, creating more exhaust fumes for us, the local residents.

To make matters worse the cycle lanes are empty most of the day; indeed many cyclists continue to use the pavement.

Why was this not thought through sensibly?

Did no one anticipate in advance that having a cycle lane, leaving only one lane of traffic in this section of Old Shoreham Road, was going to cause this problem resulting in this very unpleasant disturbance for local residents, together with increased traffic pollution from drivers making several attempts to unload their rubbish?

Surely it would be better for the cycle lane to be removed from Sackville Road to Holmes Avenue, as every normal weekend there is a queue of cars from Sackville Road waiting to access the tip?

Please Brighton and Hove Council review this decision for local residents’ peace of mind.

Ann Scopes Hove