Labour are angry at Tory council plans to remove a cycle lane in Hove at a cost to local taxpayers of £1.1million.

The cycle lane which runs along both sides Grand Avenue and The Drive in Hove will be removed to “improve the visual impact and traffic flow.” This is despite the Tories allowing the project to go ahead during their first year in power.

The £1.1million removal represents the Tories distaste for sustainable travel options, which has so far seen the administration cut two other city cycle lanes in the city the past year. One scheme saw another £96,000 of tax-payer’s money wasted, in consulting upon a cycle lane scheme for the Old Shoreham Road – abandoned less than 12 months ago despite the fact that 62% of those consulted wanted the scheme to go ahead. More recently, another plan scrapped was the extension of the seafront cycle lane from the Palace Pier to Rottingdean.

Tory policy also culminated in pulling their transport plan at a council meeting last month fearing that changes by both Labour and Green Councillors to encourage more sustainable options, such as cycle lanes, could be voted through.

Labour are currently investigating how much money the Tories opposition to cycling has cost city taxpayers.

Brighton & Hove Labour Leader, Councillor Gill Mitchell, said:

“I am appalled at this terrible waste of tax-payer’s money, at a time of unprecedented cuts, all because the Tories have a pathetic prejudice against cycling.

“They’ve spent over a million axing other cycle lanes across the city. Just why are the Tories so against cycling? These decisions seem to be based on prejudice not policy.”