Last June you published a letter from me detailing my concerns as a motorist, driving instructor and a pedestrian regarding the cycle path/pedestrian path on Burton Road at Kendal that was nearing completion at the time.

Unbelievably, despite all of those issues being shown to be correct, the extension to the path from Asda to Oxenholme has now commenced. Why and at what cost? Have we moved beyond the period of austerity? Do we now have more money to waste?

I find it incredibly difficult to understand how someone can justify this expenditure of public money regardless of the 'pot' that this has been funded from. It is a waste of money.

The first part of this 'cycle way' between Kirkbie Kendal School and Asda is unusable. As I mentioned last year it seemed obvious as there are so many points where the cyclist needs to 'give way that most would understandably just stay on the road - they do.

The lack of separation between cyclists and pedestrians clearly presented further issues and again I suggested that understandably that the cyclists again would simply remain on the road - they do.

And how on earth the 'designers' failed to see that the exit from the leisure centre would presents both cyclist and pedestrian with an impossible situation - why was the path not simply taken a car length back so pedestrians and cyclists (should any actually use the path) can continue on their journey around the back of cars waiting to emerge without wading or riding through the mud and grass?

If those responsible for giving the go ahead on this new phase spent even just a short amount of time on Burton Road they would clearly see the cyclists do not use the existing path. My guess is it's being done because a 'decision' was taken that Kendal needs x miles of cycle path in order to tick a box, to meet a target - the fact that nobody uses the existing ones appears not to be important.

As a driving instructor I travel up and down Burton Road regularly and cannot recall ever being held up by a cyclist.

So many of these shared footpath schemes around Kendal are dangerous to pedestrian, cyclist and motorist (look at the Stramongate/New Road area where the cycle lane takes a blind 90 degree turn at the exact point a zebra crossing meets the pavement!). In addition most are impractical for cyclists to use (Stramongate Bridge being a prime example).

Unfortunately Burton Road combines both of these issues with the inpracticality of phase 1 and the danger to pedestrian and cyclist due to the potential speed travelling down the hill in this newer phase.

This is surely to be another white elephant to add to all of the other unused cycle paths throughout the town.

Perhaps it's time that the cost of constructing of all of these bits of unused cycle path in Kendal was published and the decision makers requested to justify that expenditure.

Glyn Jamieson

Kendal