Cosmological tests for a linear coasting cosmology

A strictly linear evolution of the scale factor is a characteristic feature in several classes of alternative gravity theories. In this Letter we investigate the overall viability of an open linear coasting cosmological model. We report that this model is consistent with gravitational lensing statistics (within 1σ) and accommodates old high-redshift galaxies. We finally conclude that such a linear coasting, α(t)=t, is not ruled out on basis of these observational tests.