Cyclists will have to dismount from their cycles and walk across Portinscale Bridge in a ruling by Cumbria County Councillors

Members of the County Council Local Committee for Allerdale went against officer advice and decided to ban cyclists from cycling across the footbridge in Keswick.

Councillors at a meeting in Allerdale on Friday, heard that 80 responses had been received during a consultation process which considered four different proposals for Portinscale Bridge.

These included introducing a prohibition of cycling along the bridge, bringing in a no waiting at any time restriction, introducing an extension of the double yellow lines at the junction of a new development on Crosthwaite Road and an extension of double yellow lines along Ambleside Road, Keswick.

Having received objections from cyclists, officers recommended that a ban on cycling on Portinscale Footbridge should be abandoned.

They recommended that the Local Committee allow officers to investigate other alternatives for Portinscale Footbridge, such as a “share with care” scheme to avoid the requirement for any for of statutory enforcement.

An officer said that objections had been received by the wider public, whilst the majority of residents seemed to be in favour of some sort of restriction.

However, councillors disagreed and voted to prohibit cycling on the bridge.

Councillor Alan Johnson said: “Sorry I disagree it’s been on my parish for the last five years. While I don’t want to ban cyclists it’s a footbridge and the aggressiveness of some of the cyclists is unbelievable. So I’m for banning cyclists riding on the footbridge.”

Councillor Tony Lywood agreed and said: “There is already a sign up saying to dismount and no one is going to police it. I will be supportive of prohibition of cyclists on this.

Councillor Tony Markley said: “When you’ve got cyclists and kids there it’s not right, I can undersand officers’ views, but it’s about safety.”

Councillor Alan Barry mirrored safety concerns and said “Our job is to keep people safe and I don’t think there is any other option than to dismount either end to go across that footbridge. On this occasion health and safety is a priority. I don’t want to see a lady with a pram or child jumping out of the way.”

Councillors agreed that cyclists should dismount at either end of Portinscale Footbridge and walk with their bikes.