READING Lewis Adams excellent article (Gazette, March 10, “Good riddance! Cycle lane is finally removed”) it comes as no surprise to me that the Headgate cycle lane has been removed, why I ask was a proper survey not done in the first place before cycle lanes were introduced at council taxpayers’ cost?

It’s no wonder our council tax bills are increasing when such obvious waste is incurred by introducing such measures one year to have to remove them when they fail a year or so later.

It would have cost very little to have conducted a CCTV survey to ascertain just how many cyclists actually use that area, in fact the clues are there, how many cycles does one see locked or chained to railings in the town centre whilst people are at work, the answer is relatively few.

I have visited the Headgate area many times over the last two years and have seen very few cyclists there.

Colchester’s cycle use is vastly different from the likes of Cambridge and London.

I read Will Bramhill’s letter, which was I suggest contrary to the real picture, people that drive into the town and park have greater carrying capacity in their vehicles and are therefore much more likely to spend more money supporting the town centre shops than cyclists hence why out-oftown shopping is increasing at the cost of the town centre.

I would suggest in real terms that cyclists account for a relatively small number of town centre visitors, not surprising really when they take there lives into there own hands with the pothole-ridden roads.

Cycling is to be applauded in that it’s green, but our councillors, both borough and county, seem to be throwing endless amounts of our hardearned council tax at cycle routes because it’s deemed trendy without first checking they’re viability.

It would be far better to install more electric charging points for vehicles and to reduce pollution by switching to electricallypowered buses.

The common sense voices of people like Sir Bob Russell and Sue Lissimore seem to be ignored by our cash-wasting county councillors.

It’s not that difficult to get it right is it.

Paul Absolon

Birch