Controversial Whitelegg Way cycle lane cost more than budgeted

Whitelegg Way, which has seen cars and a fire engine get stuck on its six-inch raised kerb separating the road and cycle lane, cost £31.5k more than it should have. 

The data, from a Freedom of Information request by the Echo, shows £1,348,986 was budgeted for the scheme but BCP Council ended up spending £1,380,564. 

Despite this, the council’s environment portfolio holder Cllr Andy Hadley insists more people are going to be using the cycle lane on the A347 two years after it was built. 

Graham Hunt/BNPS

Cllr Hadley said: “The total cost of the sustainable travel improvements on Whitelegg Way was 2.3 per cent over the estimated budget.

“This cost was covered by south east Dorset’s Transforming Cities Fund programme’s contingency budget.  

"No other funding was required. Over two-thirds of global construction projects go over 10 per cent of planned budgets so a 2.3 per cent overspend is not unusual.

Read more: Whitelegg Way cars use cycle lane as fire engine gets 'stuck'

“The 2.3 per cent cost increase was due to unplanned activities relating to public and stakeholder enquiries and scrutiny of the Whitelegg Way scheme requiring additional traffic surveys, data analysis, engineer supervision and general project management.” 

He said he is seeing “good use” of the cycle lane, with the week commencing September 4 seeing more than 2,600 journeys on the path. 

Cllr Hadley said more people will use the cycle lane (Image: Daily Echo)

“The safety and efficiency of routes for people walking, wheeling and cycling is important,” he added. 

“We expect the use of cycle lanes to continue to increase as we build a connected network of safe cycling routes across the region.” 

Read more: Whitelegg Way improvement work: Fire engines 'can't use road'

In 2022, a Fiat 500 became stuck on the kerb of the cycle lane after the driver pulled over to let emergency services get by. 

BNPS

Twenty minutes of delays from a mile’s worth of tailbacks were reported after the car became stuck – also prompting national headlines for the controversial cycle lane. 

A Bournemouth firefighter has also previously told the Echo that the cycle lane prevents the service from getting down the road and that they have to take a different route which “holds us up for a few minutes”.  

Read more: Kerbs on Whitelegg Way cycle lanes an "absolute danger"

BCP Council said the cycle lane “adheres to national standards” which are set by the Department for Transport. 

The authority added it is “not necessary” for drivers to be mounting the kerb to let emergency services past.