‘Complete waste of money’ - Gazette readers react to £1.6m funding to improve cycle routes in the borough

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On Tuesday, May 30, South Tyneside Council revealed that provisional funding has been awarded from the fourth round of the Active Travel Fund as part of a £17.7m package of investments in the North East’s walking and cycling infrastructure.

In South Tyneside, the money is set to be spent on improvements to the National Cycle Network (NCN) 1 route which runs along predominantly along the A183 from South Shields Foreshore to Sunderland.

The local authority says it is likely the funding will be used to enhance the stretch of the route from Bents Park Road to the Coast Road for both cyclists and walkers.

Shields Gazette readers have had their say on improving cycle lanes in the borough. Photo: Google Maps.

This is what Gazette readers had to say via the Shields Gazette Facebook page:

John Reay: “As a cyclist I would rather see the money spent on filling potholes.”

Richard R Clark: “I use the [NCN] Route 1 often and so do many others. I rely on my bike and the cycle network to get from A to B.

“I dont feel safe riding on the roads as there is loads of drivers that never take notice of what’s going on around them and same with foot paths, people like to drift from side to side when they walk and never respond to a cycle bell.

“That’s why cycle lanes need to be maintained then everyone’s happy, vehicles have their roads, people have their paths and cyclists have their lanes.”

Nicholas Tyrie: “Why? Cycle lanes never get used by cyclists. Complete waste of money. Better off building a few homes for homeless.”

Helen Thornhill: “Cyclists use the pavements, not the lanes. Improving pavements and roads would be better spent.”

Karl Burgess: “But I see bikes on pavements next to empty cycle lanes.”

Ian Lancaster: “NTC [North Tyneside Council] have already wrecked North Tyneside with these ‘unused, unwanted’ routes which lead to reduced speed limits too.”

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