Anger over year-long plans for £1.7m Exeter cycle path

The new cycle path is an "utter waste of money" according to Angela Martin

A cycle path that will cost £1.7m and take a year to build is causing anger among people who live in the area.

Devon County Council is creating a 700m (765 yard) two-way path in Rifford Road, Exeter.

Angela Martin, who lives nearby, said: "I think it's an utter waste of time and money that could be better spent on maintaining pavements and cycle paths."

The county council said the project would provide the "missing link" to connect cycle paths in the city.

The works are scheduled to last for a year

The scheme was designed to "boost physical activity in one of the city's highest areas for inactivity and poor health by enabling more people to walk, wheel, scoot and cycle for everyday journeys in the city", according to a council report.

Ms Martin, who often cycles along Rifford Road, said there was no need for a new cycle path.

She said: "We've got too many potholes, we've got cycle paths that are unusable, you could cut back vegetation and make the paths twice as wide in some places.

"There are a lot of simple, easy, cost-effective things they could do."

Exeter City Council member Alison Sheridan believes the cycle path is unnecessary

The Conservative-run Devon County Council's cabinet approved the scheme in May.

But Alison Sheridan, the Conservative councillor for Exeter City Council who represents the St Loyes area, said the scheme was neither needed nor wanted by residents.

She said: "There's a fine line between coercing, encouraging and forcing and what they're actually doing here is making it impossible for motorists to move around freely.

"They want us out of our cars and on our bikes or walking which is simply impractical for most people.

"We don't live in California or the Costa Del Sol we live in Exeter and love it as we do, it is often very rainy and wet."

Devon County Council member Marina Asvachin said the new cycle path would join up different routes

The Devon County Council member for the area, Labour's Marina Asvachin, supports the scheme and said it would be a crucial part of a network of cycle paths around the city.

She said: "There are lots of cycle lanes popping up all over the city and the overall picture will be that we join them all up so that you can get from one side of Exeter to the other completely on cycle lanes.

"This is one of the missing links.

"At the end of the year we will have a fantastic bit of road that will join up Burnthouse Lane to Sweetbrier Lane."

Ms Asvachin said when the scheme was completed the road would still be wide enough for two HGVs to pass each other.

Devon County Council said other works would include resurfacing, raised pedestrian crossings, a cycle-friendly zebra crossing and upgrades to the street lighting.