“He who shouts loudest is no way to operate”: public overestimates bike lane opposition by 50% finds new Cycling UK research | road.cc
Many councils massively overestimate public opposition to bike lanes
Cycling UK has expressed concern that the “loudest voices” are having undue influence on decisions relating to new cycle lanes. New research commissioned by the charity has revealed that people overestimate public opposition to such schemes by more than 50 per cent.
Experts have said that it is often a vocal minority who are fighting new cycling infrastructure, yet there have been any number of occasions where new schemes have been cancelled or reversed following a handful of complaints.
Cycling UK is concerned that councils often pay disproportionate attention to the loudest voices and that this is having an undue influence on decision making.
The charity cites Kent as an example, where a third of new active travel schemes have been removed following vocal local opposition.
