Event Island "Yellow Brick Road" cycle ban
Currently, cycling is allowed only after 6pm and in a northbound direction along the "Yellow Brick Road" part of Danestrete in front of Daneshill House.
Cycling UK Stevenage continue to campaign to have cycling allowed in both directions throughout the day.
- Responsible cyclists are not a danger to pedestrians - we share mixed use paths throughout Stevenage.
- Danestrete is a crucial access route for shops, workplaces and residences in the Town Centre.
- This route is due to become a cycling and walking route on the overall plans for Town Centre regeneration that Stevenage Borough Council shared with us in November 2020 - see here.
- The Old Great North Road cycle route alongside the Leisure Centre has been developed as a paved shared use area since the new Bus Interchange was opened.
Background information
When the old Bus Station site was developed to become "Event Island" the plans clearly identified a a spine along Danestrete between Danesgate and Westgate for cyclist access in both directions at all times of day.
However, at the meeting of the Stevenage Borough Council Planning and Development Committee on 22nd June 2022, the planning application was passed with the following caveat: "To safeguard pedestrians and other road users, the yellow brick lane should not be used by cyclists." This caveat was introduced by committee members at the actual meeting, and was contrary to the access identified on planning documents which clearly identified a a spine along Danestrete between Danesgate and Westgate for cyclist access.
Subsequently, a consultation process was carried out for a new Traffic Regulation Order. The national office of Cycling UK submitted a response to the formal consultation in October 2022 which can be seen here.
This was in addition to the responses that Cycling UK Stevenage submitted to both the informal and formal consultations. Read the Informal consultation response here and the Formal consultation response here.
Following the formal consultation, Stevenage Borough Council confirmed that they would not go ahead with the new TRO. However, that has meant that the original ban on cycling except for Northbound between 6pm and 12 noon remains in place to this day.
