Push the Pedalways work on The Avenues in Norwich is already cracking up

Road surface on The Avenues (Image: Archant)

A project in The Avenues, which would have seen a dedicated cycle lane created, was curtailed when officers realised it would cost too much to build – because of tree roots burrowing under the road.

Instead, lengths of advisory lanes were installed along the stretch of road – intended to separate cyclists and motorists.

But cyclists have already criticised the lanes, as the Norwich Cycling Campaign said the narrow width of the road meant those lanes have buses and cars in them at the busiest time.

The group produced a video demonstrating the issues.

Road surface on The Avenues (Image: Archant)

Cyclist Annelise Savill spotted sections of the road surface in the advisory lanes cracking this week and has lodged a report with the city council.

'The cracks lie in the cycle paths and seem to be getting bigger,' she said. 'There is a risk they will cause cyclists to fall into the path of traffic.'

Norwich City Council has said it will 'investigate and carry out any maintenance that may be necessary'.

Last week the layout of the advisory lanes on The Avenues came in for criticism as the scrutiny committee agreed to revisit the Push the Pedalways scheme, when the Norwich Cycling Campaign said that the whole project needed 'urgent reconsideration'.

A council spokesman said: 'As always, this kind of thing, if not dealt with by the contractor before, would be picked up in the 'snagging period', which is where we would inspect the work it had carried out and any problems identified would be ironed out by the contractor at its expense.

'There is no reason to imagine this would cause any delay to this piece of the project, which is due to be completed at the end of February.'

What do you think? Email dominic.gilbert@archant.co.uk