A decision made by a single councillor to pull the plug on a string of improvements for cyclists and pedestrians in a multi-million-pound city transport scheme has been branded "outrageous".
Norfolk County Council is set to create a new bus lane on Norwich's Dereham Road, heading out of the city towards Costessey, just before the Larkman Lane and Marlpit Lane junction.
But, just two months after final consultation over the scheme was completed, a number of associated measures to make improvements for cyclists at a junction branded "notorious" have been ditched,
Graham Plant, the Conservative-controlled council's cabinet member for highways, transport and infrastructure, used his powers to make that decision after officers said rising costs meant they would have to be axed.
It has infuriated cycling campaigners and Maxine Webb, Independent Progressive Group county councillor, who said crucial safety improvements had been sacrificed.
Cyclists, along with taxis, will be able to use the new 200 metre long bus lane, starting at an existing bus layby about 100 metres from the Cadge Road junction and ending close to the parade of shops by Aldi.
And a 20mph limit will be introduced on part of Larkman Lane, leading to the Dereham Road junction.
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But initial plans had contained other improvements for cyclists and pedestrians.
That included shared use footpaths around the junctions with Larkman Lane and Marlpit Lane and advanced cycle stop lines - areas specifically for cyclists, so they can wait in front of general traffic.
Upgrading existing crossings with toucan crossings - for use by cyclists and pedestrians - have also been axed, along with new bus shelters and the removal of right turn lanes from Larkman Lane and Marl Pit Lane.
The removal of those elements comes despite the council saying, during consultation, that they would "encourage walking, cycling and greater use of public transport by improving the reliability of bus services and providing safe access to local shops."
Councillor Ms Webb, who represents Wensum division, said it was "outrageous".
She said: "There certainly was funding available and they were in the plans and costed.
"The erasure of all the cycling elements here is the exact opposite of what we say in our own strategies.
"It makes a mockery of all those stated ambitions. A cyclist in my division sadly died in a traffic accident two years ago and a police investigation is still ongoing.
"How can his family and other cyclists have any confidence that this council is trying to make the roads safer?"
Peter Silburn, chairman of Norwich Cycling Campaign, said the junction was "notorious" and changes would have made it safer.
He said he was "shocked" at their cancellation, following Mr Plant's decision, with the matter never publicly debated by councillors.
He said: "It's hard to avoid the conclusion that Norfolk County Council are just not serious about active travel."
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Mr Plant apologised, but said: "Due to rising costs and limited availability of funding, it is regrettable that we are no longer able to deliver the full range of highway improvements across public transport, walking, wheeling and cycling that featured in our original consultation.
"Opportunities to provide further improvements to walking, wheeling and cycling will be sought through other funds and will be discussed with local members."
The scheme was first proposed in 2021 as part of a £6.2m project funded by £32m awarded to the council through the Transforming Cities fund.
Mr Plant said: "Over the last two years we have seen a huge rise in costs around everything that we do at the council, but specifically around highways.
"Most of the schemes we have going on at the moment are out of the original quote which was given - they are all costing a lot more."
The government recently announced Norfolk will get £34m for transport schemes over the next four years.
Ms Webb said some of that should be prioritised to revive the cycling changes on the Dereham Road project.
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