A Ford Fiesta driver in Bournemouth, Dorset, was filmed driving down a supersized cycle lane, mistaking it for a road. The incident occurred during morning traffic when the driver emerged from a junction on Wallisdown Road.
The driver proceeded along the red-marked bike lane, directly behind a cyclist. The footage shows the driver continuing to follow the cyclist even as the lane separated from the road near a bus stop. To avoid a collision, the driver then mounted a pavement.
Liberal Democrat councillor Adrian Chapmanlaw captured the footage and confronted the driver. The driver, who wore a high-visibility vest and is believed to be a delivery driver, explained that he was setting up his TomTom navigation system and had gotten lost. Chapmanlaw informed him that he was in a cycle lane, not a road. The driver then moved his vehicle across the cycle lane to rejoin the main road.
Chapmanlaw, known for documenting driving infractions in the Bournemouth area with a helmet-mounted camera, shared the video on his social media page, Dorset Safer Roads. He expressed his disbelief at the driver's actions, noting that the lane's red color and central markings should have been indicators it was not a road. He also raised concerns about road safety, particularly if children had been present, as the incident occurred during school commute times. Chapmanlaw stated that he hopes the driver sees the video and seeks further training.
In a separate incident last month, Chapmanlaw faced criticism and was suspended by the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Liberal Democrats after refusing to remove a video filmed outside a primary school, which he had recorded with his helmet camera. The school had raised safeguarding concerns over the potential identification of children in the footage. Chapmanlaw maintained that no one was identifiable and suggested the complaint was a tactic to deter him from reporting driving offenses.