National Highways has been accused of “perversely penalising” cyclists and pedestrians after it was revealed that a number of shared-use paths have been closed due to heavy pollution on adjacent roads.

A shared cycling and walking path beside the A3 in Guildford was closed earlier this summer, with new signs installed prohibiting people riding bikes or on foot, along with diversion signs, says Roads.cc.

“Hostile” paving, which amount to bumpy stones, was also introduced on the narrow pavement, which runs alongside a 50mph dual carriageway, with cyclists now forced to use the road or undertake a lengthy detour.

According to a report on the the Potholes and Pavements Substack, the 1.4-mile-long path was closed by National Highways because air quality levels on the A3 exceeded legal annual thresholds, and because the path was within 15 metres of the offending dual carriageway, its users were being exposed to dangerously high levels of pollution.

By closing the path, and stopping cyclists and pedestrians from riding or walking beside the road, the A3 is now compliant with the existing regulations. National Highways says the shared path will stay closed until the levels of pollution drop below the legal annual limit for nitrogen dioxide (40µg/m3 NO2), which they predict will happen between 2030 and 2035.

Local cyclist Steve Cromwell told the report’s author Laura Laker that the entrances to the path – which he nonetheless described as “not pleasant, nor is it well used as it doesn’t really connect to much” – are now marked by plastic wands, though it appears that cyclists and pedestrians are continuing to use the path, with wheel marks visible in the sand poured over the new stones, according to a photo taken by Cromwell and published by Laker.

Cromwell pointed out that a new kerb drop was installed on a traffic-free section of the diversion put in place from the A3, which he says has made the path easier to use. However, on 17 July, a 19-year-old was killed by a hit-and-run driver while walking along the A3 at night, on a section where the path was closed.

This is not the first time National Highways has closed a cycle path in a bid to limit exposure to overly high pollution levels. In February 2025, the government-owned agency moved a ‘cycle collection point’, where cyclists are picked up by a bus to cross the Dartford tunnel at junction 31 of the M25, and shut the safe cycle path leading to it.

Asked about the bike path closures alongside the A3 in Guildford and the A282 in Thurrock, National Highways said in a statement:

“The path beside the A282 was a permissive path owned by National Highways, this means there is no automatic right of use. National Highways has a legal duty to consider measures where annual average nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) concentrations exceed the legal limit. Any changes have been limited to specific sections where pollutant concentrations exceed legal thresholds and where reducing public exposure was considered necessary.

“We recognise that changes to walking and cycling routes can affect local communities and have sought to minimise impacts wherever possible. At both the A3 in Guildford and A282 in Thurrock, a range of potential interventions were assessed before a preferred solution was identified.”

(Picture: Mapillary)