A DECISION to leave the ‘last leg’ of Weymouth’s cycle scheme incomplete, and instead pump funding into Dorchester, has been criticised.

Dorset County Council’s Cabinet has rejected proposals for a cycle lane which was designed to act as a link between the seafront and other cycle routes in Weymouth.

The majority of funding that had been earmarked will now be reallocated to upgrade the West Stafford bypass route near Dorchester and school cycle parking in the town.

The cost of designing and building the Westham Road Cycle Contraflow was estimated at £93,000, of which £66,000 was to come from the Weymouth-Dorchester Corridor LSTF, granted by the Department for Transport (DfT).

But the money came with the stipulation that it must be used by March 31 or be handed back.

As the Westham Road Contraflow scheme could not be delivered in the required timeframe after it was rejected by councillors, the funding will be reallocated.

County councillor for Weymouth Mike Byatt said the decision against a cycle lane on Westham Road is a ‘complete mess’ and will have significant consequences for Weymouth.

Officers from the authority had drawn up orders for the contra-flow cycle lane in after it was supported in a public consultation.

However, the county council’s Regulatory Committee raised concerns over safety and recommended the Cabinet to reject the order on safety grounds.

Cllr Byatt said: “My real concern is that the scheme is lost and the budget is lost. It would have helped pedestrians, cyclists and businesses on Westham Road and it would have improved safety.

“This decision goes against the local member, theconsultation and support of local businesses.

“We cannot appeal the decision but there is now no budget provision for any works of this nature.

“It is a complete mess.

“I want the county council, having messed up the scheme, to urgently find the money for 2015/16 so the works can be completed.”

Local business people have also spoken out about the decision.

Denyse Cameron, who owns Quayside Leather on Westham Road, has said she is ‘furious’.

She said: “The number of times I have nearly got run over or my customers have got run over because the pavement is so narrow, it is dangerous.

“The idea of what they were going to do was perfect and I cannot see any reason for them to decide against it. I am furious.”

She added: “I happen to know a couple of shops in the street are now thinking about going because this has not gone through.

“We get no help from the county council and now they have lost the money to redevelop the road. I think it’s disgusting and someone’s head should roll.”

Cabinet members said they would not seek to go behind the recommendation of the Regula-tory Committee, who had reached their view following a detailed presentation, and supported the move to reject the order.

Council leader Robert Gould said it was now over to council officers to come up with an alternative that would address the concerns raised and bring it back to the regulatory committee.

Councillors concerned over safety

A SPOKESMAN for Dorset County Council said: “Councillors decided that the scheme may increase the risk of pedestrian/cycle conflict. “This decision was reviewed but upheld by Cabinet, with a commitment to see if the scheme could be adapted to mitigate concerns and then reconsidered in the future.

“£66,000 was to come from the Weymouth-Dorchester Corridor LSTF, granted by the DfT and the balance of £27,000 was to come from the LTP3.”

The spokesman added: “As the scheme can now not be delivered in this timeframe, the LSTF funding will be reallocated to upgrade the West Stafford bypass route in Dorchester, school cycle parking in Dorchester and to meet overspends in the Weymouth Way cycle route. “If we do not reallocate we would lose the funding altogether which is not an option.

“What this means is that the earliest the scheme could now be delivered, assuming councillors support the scheme in future, is 2016. “However, there is currently no funding committed in 2016 either.”