Protesters representing the climate change advocacy group Extinction Rebellion have taken a stand at the site of the Old Shoreham Road cycle lane as council employees begin to remove it.
The group, along with Parents from Hove, protested on the evening of last Thursday, 16th September, in a futile attempt to prevent workers from taking apart the site, which was added as part of a council initiative to improve healthy living.
As part of their stand, the members brought bicycles with Extinction Rebellion flags, placing them on the road, whilst others placed down yoga mats and performed an array of different yoga exercises in the road as machinery attempted to remove the markings on the tarmac.
One of the key motivators was the need to fight for young cyclists, children and other minors who had supported the new cycle lane as part of an ever-growing move to address the issues surrounding climate change and educate the youth of tomorrow on how to live a healthier and more sustainable life.
Rather than removal, the campaigners are requesting a permanent lane to be enforced with such action allowing all cyclists to access different parts of the city through a safe, designated route to and from central Brighton.
There has been much public support for the lane, with certain residents supporting the significant and progressive step that it provided for the city, with new opportunities to promote cycling to groups who may not be comfortable with road cycling and could now link together school, parks and towns.
The consultation is said to have gone unnoticed by some who oppose the move, now coming as a surprise that it is being removed and causing distress to the riders and parents who had been using the route up to now.
This was one of three protests to occur throughout the week, with works expected to have been now completed.
The opposition to the route is said to have come from motorists and other residents who felt it was doing more harm than good to local traffic and the community.
Photo Credit: Phil Hearing
