Through the keyhole

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council ripped up a traffic filter at the expense of cyclists. Then the people fought back...

- Laura Laker

There's been so much gloom in the cycling world that a win for everyday riding feels even more significant than usual. Even better is a victory for the people, by the people. Keyhole Bridge is, on the face of it, a small matter, both physically and relatively. Picture a small tunnel beneath a railway bridge, linking two parks in Poole, Dorset. In another circumstance it wouldn't earn a second look. The space in that tunnel is only just big enough for one vehicle to pass through- and there's no pavement to speak of - but it was a popular cut-through for drivers in Poole attempting to avoid a one-way system. During the pandemic it was one of countless rat runs closed to through traffic up and down the country to help people on foot and bikes exercise in safety and peace.