Drawing pins left in Shoreham’s temporary cycle lane damage bikes

Sussex Police said several reports were received between January 9 and 12 of pins left in the temporary Upper Shoreham Road lane, near the junction with Mill Lane.

Cycling group Shoreham-by-Cycle said several residents had reported incidents, including one parent whose young child’s bike tyres suddenly deflated, causing them to veer and nearly crash.

A spokesman for the group said another report was from a key worker on their way to work who was forced to stop and make repairs.

“This is a very serious business,” said the spokesman.

“Where similar attacks have happened elsewhere they have led to significant injuries.

“We worked with other local people to check the lanes and pick up pins - but they reappeared several times.

“We’re very grateful to Sussex Police for taking this seriously. Of course, we’re used to debate and disagreement about the best way forward with the cycle infrastructure Shoreham needs, but when someone resorts to endangering children and key workers for their own amusement, this needs to be recognised for what it is.”

Sussex Police said ‘deliberate acts of this nature’ can cause serious injury and encouraged anybody with information to report it online or call 101, quoting CAD 794 of 09/01.

Work is ongoing to remove the Upper Shoreham Road cycle lane, which was installed in the summer as part of a Government scheme to encourage cycling during the first coronavirus lockdown.

West Sussex County Council elected to remove all of the county’s temporary lanes, despite Shoreham’s being proven to see an increase in cycling journeys.

But it was not universally popular – a petition to remove the lane received more than 1,000 signatures.

The council said work would begin on designing a permanent lane to replace the pop-up one, leading some people to question why the temporary lane was not kept in the meantim