FURIOUS residents have warned people have “had enough” of a controversial cycle lane.

People living in the area say they are forced to keep their windows closed to avoid inhaling pollution from traffic queues on the Old Shoreham Road in Hove.

The group of motorists, residents and traders say congestion has increased due to the temporary cycle lane, which Brighton and Hove City Council is intent on keeping in place.

Julian Fairhall said his emails criticising the cycle lanes on the route – one of the main arteries into the city – have been ignored.

“I have emailed my councillors several times and they have ignored me,” he said.

“When I do hear back from them they make it seem like I’ve done something wrong. No, I’m not the person doing anything wrong, I’m employing you to represent me.”

A recent survey found that 66 per cent of respondents wanted the route removed.

But a key meeting on Tuesday decided it will remain – with some tweaks aimed at tackling the worst congestion.

Changes would be made to the turning into Boundary Road and Carlton Terrace at the Hangleton Road traffic lights – and to the right-hand turn into Olive Road.

Mr Fairhall said: “We are trying to do it in the right way and go through the right channels. But eventually, people are going to say, you know what, I’ve had enough now.

“You have already had people knocking those stupid bollards over.”

The council says there has been a 61 per cent increase in cyclists using the lanes when compared with 2016.

This equates to an average of 545 cyclists per day

But motorist and tradesman Christopher O’connor said: “We’ve had independent people sitting on the roads, all day long and checking the bikes. The number came to 55. It is disrespectful to the motorists, it’s disrespectful to the people that live around here, the traffic jams and traffic queues, and it’s disrespectful to the environment.

“People are teetering on the edge, if the council decide to wake up one day and start making these permanent on places where they’re not safe, or meant to be, like the Old Shoreham Road, then people will had have enough and there will be a turn of events.”

Another resident described the pollution in the area as “absolutely dreadful”.

Trish Peters said: “It’s not just rush hour, it is every time the level crossing bays go down and you have a people queueing up to turn left.

“This is seriously affecting my life. I can’t keep my upstairs windows open because of the constant smell. I’m disabled and to get to the hospital I have to literally get out of town to get into town.”

Her concerns were echoed by fellow resident Mina Keating, who is manager of Margery Road Stores in Old Shoreham Road.

She said: “My house backs on to where the road goes from two lanes to one, near Sainsbury’s.

“I’ve noticed constant beeping from where the first lane won’t let the second lane in. Now, I have to shut my windows as now you can actually inhale the fumes.

“Overall, this has made the area quite have a quite angry atmosphere. I have been here for 15 years and this has changed the area in a really quite negative way.”

Brighton and Hove City Council was contacted for comment.