The decision to close the gap in the wall, which was created three years ago to allow temporary access for Dorset Council maintenance workers, was made following complaints that locals were using the \u201cunofficial cut-through\u201d, which connects to a primary school, and disrupting funerals taking place at the crematorium.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe crematorium and surrounding grounds serve the bereaved,\u201d Dorset Council, which manages the crematorium in Weymouth, said in a statement published last week.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhile many people using the route may be unaware of the impact and disturbance, significant concerns have been raised about the lack of privacy and reverence during services and moments of remembrance.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis action is solely about closing an unintended access point to ensure the grounds and the bereaved are provided with privacy, dignity and sensitivity.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"Remembrance](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/remembrance-gardens-weymouth-crematorium.jpg\" "\\"Remembrance")
Remembrance gardens at Weymouth Crematorium (credit: Dorset Council)<\/p>\n
While the local authority\u2019s press release refrained from mentioning any mode of transport or group of road users responsible for the disruption, the Telegraph\u2019s take on the news swiftly discarded any trace of ambiguity.<\/p>\n
\u201cA crematorium wall has been reinstated after cyclists disrupted funerals by using it as a cut-through to shave 30 seconds off their journey,\u201d the newspaper\u2019s story began, before claiming that funerals have \u201cfrequently been interrupted by cyclists, pedestrians, and people riding scooters for the past three years, causing distress to mourners\u201d.<\/p>\n
The Telegraph reported that the council had acted on safety concerns, as people using the shortcut had been seen moving \u201cagainst the flow\u201d towards hearses and other funeral traffic.<\/p>\n
The newspaper also claimed that the decision had been welcomed by one anonymous funeral director, who reportedly singled out cyclists in his criticism of those using the cut-through, saying: \u201cIt has become increasingly frustrating with the number of people, and in particular cyclists, coming towards the cort\u00e8ge as it enters the crematorium.\u201d<\/p>\n
>\u00a0Telegraph accuses cyclists of \u201cwaging war on pedestrians\u201d in story on rising pavement collisions \u2013 but later backtracks and changes headline<\/a><\/p>\n The report \u2013 and, crucially, its focus on cyclists \u2013 was met with incredulity by Weymouth\u2019s cycling community, many of whom were unaware of the issues surrounding the shortcut at the seaside town\u2019s crematorium.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s the first we’re hearing about a cycling issue at Weymouth crematorium,\u201d one local campaigner told road.cc this week.<\/p>\n \u201cCycling certainly wasn’t mentioned when Dorset Council did a press release. So that part of the story appears to have originated in the Telegraph\u2019s newsroom.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI find it hard to believe it\u2019s much of a cut-through for cyclists, it doesn\u2019t really go anywhere other than the local primary school.\u201d<\/p>\n Meanwhile, another Weymouth cyclist said: \u201cIt\u2019s just reinstating a wall that was always there. It\u2019s not a story.\u201d<\/p>\n >\u00a0\u201cMore traffic, more crashes. Who knew?\u201d Telegraph ridiculed for Tube strike bike \u201cchaos\u201d story on eight extra crashes (as cycle numbers up 32%) and \u201cterrifying cycling\u201d poll<\/a><\/p>\n road.cc then approached Dorset Council to clarify whether, as the Telegraph story suggested, cyclists were primarily responsible for the disruption at the crematorium.<\/p>\n A spokesperson for the local authority, which is currently led by a coalition of Liberal Democrat and Green councillors, pointed to the original press release issued by the council, which only referred to the \u201cmany people\u201d using the route.<\/p>\n \u201cAs you can see, we have not pointed the blame to any particular group,\u201d the spokesperson told road.cc this week.<\/p>\n \u201cI cannot comment on how an independent newspaper chooses to headline their articles. In the article they use most of our release.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"Wall](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/wall-outside-weymouth-crematorium-dorset.jpg\" "\\"Wall")
Wall outside Weymouth Crematorium, Dorset (credit: Google Streetview)<\/p>\n