UK’s first Dutch-style roundabout that gives cyclists priority sees accidents INCREASE – would you know how to use it?

The first Dutch-style British-style bicycle carousel has INCREASED the number of accidents, figures show.

Ten accidents – three serious – have been reported in the three years since the £2.3million Fendon Road roundabout was installed in 2020.

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According to the BBC, eight cyclists and two pedestrians were hit by a car in the accident.

That’s six more than the four minor accidents recorded in the three years before the Cambridge layout was decommissioned.

The system gives priority to cyclists thanks to a bright red outer ring lane and gives bicycles dedicated level crossings.

Drivers must wait for cyclists – and pedestrians – to board and disembark before maneuvering around the roundabout.

It means vehicles have to dodge twice while driving through the pedal-friendly system.

Popularized in the bike-loving Netherlands, the roundabout emerged in Cambridge after locals demanded better cycling and walking facilities.

But within days of opening in 2020, it was forced to close temporarily after a hit-and-run driver crashed into a crosswalk beacon.

And to this day, the system divides opinions.

Neville Silverston, 95, drives the roundabout every day but says it is “very dangerous” for cyclists and pedestrians as motorists drive through it at “high speed”.

The retired GP told the BBC: “You would be looking for vehicles crossing in front of you, while a cyclist could come at high speed from the left.

“I don’t think the design has safety features for the people it’s supposed to be safe for.”

But Peter French, 69, a cyclist, said the roundabout was “very safe”, adding: “All traffic is alert; everyone is looking out and stopping for you.”

A nearly 50 per cent increase in the number of cyclists using the roundabout has led to more accidents since 2017, according to Cambridgeshire County Council.

Pedestrian usage has also increased by about 30 percent, they added.

Between 2012 and 2017 there were 12 collisions between motorists and cyclists.