logo
Bizarre squiggly road markings leave drivers baffled – would YOU know what they mean?

Bizarre squiggly road markings leave drivers baffled – would YOU know what they mean?

The Sun21-05-2025

BIZARRE squiggly road marking have left residents baffled and wreaked havoc for drivers.
But following widespread criticism, the local council has decided to take action.
2
The unique wiggly road markings in Clevedon, Somerset, have now been removed following a fierce backlash.
After review, the traffic scheme has been scrapped with the wobbly lines removed and the original parking reinstated.
The work to remove the road markings started in February and was completed at the weekend at a total cost of £500,000.
It is thought that over £1 million was spent on previously installing the lines.
In addition to the sea-facing parking being re-introduced, a mini-roundabout, pedestrian crossing and new loading bays have also been created.
2
The seafront will remain a one-way system and the two-way cycle path has made way for a contra-flow lane.
Overall, the works took 13 weeks to complete and the whole scheme including its removal has cost the taxpayer nearly £1.5 million.
North Somerset Council installed the wavy lines, cycle lane and one-way system along Beach Road in 2022.
This was in an effort to slow drivers and deter people from roadside parking there.
But the markings sparked confusion and anger amongst residents who could no longer park their motors on the seafront overlooking the Bristol Channel.
At the time, one local reckoned the markings resembled a "lane for drink-drivers."
Another insisted that "the road layout is a hot mess."
It was also described as "Balamory from hell for a motorcycle" by a third resident.
The RAC previously dubbed the markings as one of the most "bizarre" schemes it had seen.
MP Liam Fox also hit out at the "shambles" and called for the scheme to be axed.
The scheme even prompted protests amid widespread media ridicule.
At the time, a council spokesman said: "The lines are a design feature to reduce the potential abuse of parking at these locations and help make the road feel narrower, which is a technique used to slow traffic speeds.
'In this case, the area is adjacent to the sailing club entrance so needs to be kept clear.
'A wavy line provides uncertainty to the driver and is proven to help reduce unwanted parking.'
North Somerset Council has been approached for comment.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Why I fell in love with a beautiful Italian road bike
Why I fell in love with a beautiful Italian road bike

Times

timean hour ago

  • Times

Why I fell in love with a beautiful Italian road bike

There are cool bikes, there are nice bikes, there are practical bikes, but there are few bikes so beautiful that even noncyclists look at it and think, wow. The Basso's new SV is one of those — the Italian brand has created a grande bellezza. The SV stands for Sempre Veloce, meaning always fast, and that is accurate. This bike is rapid. The stiff, light frame makes it feel like there's nothing beneath you. You turn the pedals and the bike goes, there's no delay, no wasted watts, it doesn't feel like you're steering a barge. In fact it often feels like you're steering nothing at all — just your power, directed straight into the tarmac. But this is also a bike that Basso claims is correct for 95 per cent of people. It is its all-rounder, appealing to the current trend within cycling of having a do-it-all machine rather than an aero bike and a climbing bike and a winter bike. Does it do it all? Yes, and very well. • Read more luxury reviews, advice and insights from our experts With such carbon machines you often trade ride comfort for lightness and stiffness. Pure racing bikes feel as if they'll break your back on any potholes or bumps in the road — and we have the odd one or two of those in the UK. But the SV is a fine ride, stiff in all the right places and softer where it needs to be. I tested it with 32mm Grand Prix 5000 S tyres that were perfect and when I hit our pockmarked Essex roads my back remained intact. It handles beautifully, even in fast-speed corners. The bike gripped the road, the balance of the ride was perfect. And out of the saddle on the climbs it was a joy. The only problem was the surroundings in which I rode — the grey sky, the damp road, this is not scenery befitting such a bike. But later on, rolling along a narrow country lane, the sun beginning to peek between the clouds, light twinkling on the bike's frame, I saw galloping deer in the rolling fields alongside me and suddenly everything felt all right. The components are as high-end as you might expect. While you can configure your bike with your own choices, the Dura Ace di2 groupset is as smooth and reliable as always and the DT Swiss wheels are the perfect companions. None of this really matters, though, because the bike is just so beautiful. I had the SV in the Viola Galaxy colour, a groovy, sparkly blue-orange. The front fork is subtle and low-profile and the down tube has a slight aero kink in it that gives it character. When I pulled up to a coffee shop for an espresso and a sandwich I left the bike outside to be admired by other cyclists and passers-by. If only we had been in its native Italy, among the ruins of Rome, perhaps, or the vineyards of Tuscany, they would surely have said: 'Che bella!' Basso SV as ridden £8,889, starting from £6,730;

MWIC Bonus Episode 13: Autocar Meets car designer Julian Thomson, GM Advanced Design Europe
MWIC Bonus Episode 13: Autocar Meets car designer Julian Thomson, GM Advanced Design Europe

Auto Car

time4 hours ago

  • Auto Car

MWIC Bonus Episode 13: Autocar Meets car designer Julian Thomson, GM Advanced Design Europe

Close Julian Thomson is one of the world's best car designers and if you don't know the name, you'll know his cars. As Lotus's chief designer he designed the Elise and at Jaguar Land Rover created the LRX concept, which went on to become the Range Rover Evoque. But most of Thomson's career has been spent in advanced design and that's where he finds himself now, at General Motors' new advanced design centre Europe. Why does GM need a European design centre and what will it do? Join Steve Cropley and Matt Prior as they put these questions and many more to one of the world's most eminent car designers.

Toyota Aims to Meet Stateside GR Corolla Demand with UK Production Line
Toyota Aims to Meet Stateside GR Corolla Demand with UK Production Line

Auto Blog

time4 hours ago

  • Auto Blog

Toyota Aims to Meet Stateside GR Corolla Demand with UK Production Line

Toyota's GR Corolla is one hot ride On paper, it is easy to understand the hype for the Toyota GR Corolla. For $39,995, car enthusiasts can pretty much get the closest thing to a WRC-winning rally car that money can buy and that your DMV will let you register for road use. While it shares its body with a practical five-door hatchback, Toyota's Gazoo Racing division stuffed lots of high-performance toys for unlimited smiles per gallon, including a turbocharged 1.6-liter three-cylinder engine producing 300 rampageous horsepower under the hood, an all-wheel-drive system, track-ready suspension, and a stiffened chassis. 2025 Toyota GR Corolla — Source: Toyota Toyota isn't faffing about with American demand for its pocket rocket With all this in tow, it is easy to see how Toyota's fast, little hatchback could be a sleeper hit that is taking the automaker by surprise. According to a new report by Reuters, insiders say that demand for the all-wheel-drive pocket rocket in the U.S. is so high that it is making a major production shift to satisfy their cravings. According to two sources close to Toyota, the Japanese automaker is moving some GR production from Japan to the UK in order to reduce the delivery wait times for export vehicles for the North American market. Currently, the GR Corolla is built on a dedicated assembly line shared with the GR Yaris at Toyota's Motomachi plant in Toyota City, Japan, which is reportedly insufficient to satisfy enthusiast demand in the U.S. and Canada. To accommodate this, Toyota will spend nearly $56 million to dedicate one production line at its plant in Burnaston, Derbyshire, in the UK. When it comes online in 2026, this line will be capable of producing 10,000 cars per year for export to the North American market. Opened in 1992, Burnaston uses some of Toyota's advanced production technology to pump out cars as fast as one per 60 seconds. Already, the English factory produces the Toyota Corolla hatchback, the vehicle on which the GR Corolla is based. The 2025 Toyota GR Corolla on the streets of SoHo in New York City. — Source: James Ochoa However, one Toyota source who spoke to Reuters said that the automaker will temporarily dispatch engineers to the English factory to share its expertise and knowledge with the workers on building such a car. The sources who spoke with Reuters emphasized that GR models like the GR Corolla and GR Yaris require more time and effort to produce than their non-GR counterparts because of the many procedures that machines cannot do. Autoblog Newsletter Autoblog brings you car news; expert reviews and exciting pictures and video. Research and compare vehicles, too. Sign up or sign in with Google Facebook Microsoft Apple By signing up I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . You may unsubscribe from email communication at anytime. Moving production of high-margin cars to the UK can be a tariff power move. Although Toyota produces and sells a smaller chunk of GR Corollas compared to its more mainstream models, Toyota insiders note that their higher price tags compared to 'regular' Corollas command higher margins for the company, which could be a good deal, given the tariff situation currently at hand. Earlier this month, the Trump administration brokered a trade deal with Kier Starmer and the British government to reduce tariffs on UK vehicle imports from 27.5% to 10%. While automakers seem to get a break, the Trump administration restricts this 'special rate' for the first 100,000 cars automakers bring on American shores. Toyota insiders told Reuters that the move was not made because of President Donald Trump's tariffs on imported cars. 2025 Toyota GR Corolla — Source: James Ochoa Final thoughts I am not surprised that Toyota would be considering this move, as there seems to be something about the UK and hatchbacks. Previously, the last generation of Honda Civic Type R was made in Swindon, England, alongside production of the 'standard' Civic Hatchback destined for American shores. Nonetheless, the GR Corolla is an exhilarating car, even when equipped with an automatic transmission. However, I do hope that when they make this shift, Toyota GR fans will be vigilant for any noticeable differences in build quality compared to units from the Motomachi plant. Those GR engineers have a lot on their plates. About the Author James Ochoa View Profile

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store