Dear Sir,
The new cycle path along the A167 has caused huge disruption to many thousands of road users over many weeks for a cycle route very few people are likely to use, many of whom would previously have ridden on the path or the road, as I would. Now the road surface is shot, probably exacerbated by the heavy plant used to build the cycle path, and it needs resurfacing. We have a super smooth cycle way very few people will use and a busted up road that vast numbers have to use!
The Council also plans two new junctions on the A167 to encourage a vast new housing development planned for the fields running from the Approved School to the Gretna. This, combined with the lights recently introduced at the Forest Park junction (the timing which will only get worse as more businesses arrive) and the planned speed limit reduction, will make it even slower for motorists to get to and from the A1 or Darlington and very significantly worsen the existing congestion on the A167. I guess they will resurface the road at the same time. The disruption to traffic during the work will be hellish and very lengthy.
The old path, where they built the cycle way, was poorly maintained by the Council, sections being overgrown by hedging it failed to cut. Sure the path needed attention, but this 5M wide cycle route looks like a classic case of wasting taxpayers’ money for political reasons. I would guess that the climate/environmental gain from this will never catch up with the huge environmental cost of building it and the loss of the grass verge it had covered.
The Council also appears to have a policy of digging up paving-slabbed paths, which have withstood all weathers since the town was built, apart from a few getting cracked or requiring evening out, and replacing them with tarmac, which cracks, wrinkles and becomes bumpy with the heat and cold. The new path opposite St Mary’s school has already started cracking after a year or so. How was this best use of taxpayers’ money?
Meanwhile the badly damaged visibility bollards along Pease Way I reported several times dating back several years, to councillors and the council officer responsible, still haven’t been repaired and are an eyesore.
John Snowball