Mysterious snake formations return to bike path

Cyclists have been urged to take extra care after a series of peculiar snake-like ridges reappeared on a popular bike path.

The unusual formations first appeared on the route in York in December, with some cyclists saying they had caused them to fall from their bikes.

City of York Council took action to remove the lumps but Rob Ainsley, from York Cycle Campaign, said they had since reappeared.

"The council sorted it pretty quickly but some new ones have appeared - so it seems like the snakes are breeding pretty effectively," he told the BBC.

It is thought the issue arose when clay heave caused the surface to crack and then the filler used to plug the gaps was pushed up during recent wet weather.

Mr Ainsley said: "It's a bit like tectonic plates moving towards each other and creating the Himalayas in India.

"These large mounds of earth have come together and squashed up and then solidified."

He said he was aware of several cyclists that had suffered "nasty tumbles" due to the ridges, but said the council has a limited budget to fix them.

He also said the ridges were due to the "extreme weather".

"The techniques we've had keeping bike paths smooth are not working as well anymore, so unfortunately I think we'll see some more of these kind of problem", he added.

One cyclist, Nathan, who works at York Hospital, said he has seen a number of people admitted due to their bikes tripping over the "sausages".

"The council needs to come back and finish the sausage job. It's pitch black down here at 6am," he said.

"The track needs a whole new layer and re-doing."

Graham Lyon, another resident, said the track was "a bit rubbish" and was particularly bad for wheelchair users, saying: "It needs to be fixed."

The BBC has contacted City of York Council for comment.

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