Residents living around Wilmington Square have strongly rejected proposals to build a new cycle lane through the area, following a recent site visit with council contractors.
Local Meads councillor Robert Smart arranged for residents from the newly formed Friends of Wilmington Square group, led by Cathy Woolgar, to meet engineers from Balfour Beatty on site, after early-stage plans for a new cycle route came to light.
The current proposals would see a 3-metre-wide cycle lane installed along the southern edge of the green, with lamp posts relocated, one road made one-way, and six parking spaces removed. Under the plan, a 3 metre wide strip of grass, part of the original Victorian square, would be ripped up and replaced with tarmac, running directly through what is currently an attractive and well-used green space.
Many local people were hearing about the scheme for the first time and questioned how previous consultation had failed to reach them.
Resident Colin Ball said: “It’s a complete waste of money and time.”
Cllr Robert Smart added: “Spending thousands of pounds to build a short cycle lane across a quiet square — one that’s already used safely by both cyclists and drivers, is a complete waste of public money. Residents were shocked to learn of these plans and are quite rightly asking why, at a time when so many local services are under pressure, this is being treated as a priority. It’s a badly thought-through scheme with no local support.”
Cllr Smart is calling for the plan to be paused and for proper consultation with residents before any irreversible damage is done to this historic public space.
