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Britain's first 'Dutch-style' roundabout closes after car ploughs into beacon

The roundabout on Fendon Road was unveiled at the end of July and is the first of its kind in the UK - Leon Neal/Getty Images Europe
The roundabout on Fendon Road was unveiled at the end of July and is the first of its kind in the UK - Leon Neal/Getty Images Europe

Britain's first Dutch-style roundabout, which prioritises cyclists, will be forced to close just days after opening, after a car ploughed into a beacon while work was still under way.

The £2.3m Fendon road roundabout, in Cambridge, became the first in the UK to give cyclists the right of way over motorists when it opened on July 31.

Cyclists have an outer ring on the structure, with cycle crossings over each of the four approach roads in a contrasting red surface.

Cambridgeshire county council said the old roundabout, near the city's Addenbrooke's Hospital, “was perceived by many people to be dangerous to cycle around”.

However, the new roundabout was forced to close on Monday evening after a driver crashed into a Belisha beacon and drove off.

It will remain shut until Wednesday, while contractors assess the extent of the damage below ground and carry out any repairs.

Sam Davies, 51, chairman of the neighbourhood group Queen Edith's Community Forum, has previously raised safety concerns about the new roundabout.

There are fears around whether motorists will realise, in sufficient time, that cyclists have a right of way as it is so unique in Britain.

It provides an outer ring for cyclists and zebra crossings for pedestrians, requiring motorists to yield to both before entering - Leon Neal/Getty Images Europe
It provides an outer ring for cyclists and zebra crossings for pedestrians, requiring motorists to yield to both before entering - Leon Neal/Getty Images Europe

But Ms Davies, who described the roundabout as an “unknown territory”, said this closure was unrelated to its design but instead was down to sheer “bad luck”.

She said: “The night before it was due to open, they were ready to cut the ribbon, a motorist drove into one of the Belisha beacons and it was okay to go ahead with the opening but they now need to do some investigations and make sure the thing is actually structurally sound.”

“It is interesting because a lot of the questions have been around driver behaviour and it is a bit of bad driver behaviour which has instigated the need for this second closure.”

A county council spokesman said the crash happened before the roundabout opened, and the driver, whose car was considerably damaged by the incident, failed to stop at the scene.

Would you feel comfortable using this 'Dutch-style' roundabout that prioritizes cyclists and pedestrians over motorists? Tell us in the comments section below.