WITH regard to the temporary cycle lanes for 1.7 miles which has been implemented along Old Shoreham Road, from Boundary Road to The Drive, well where do you start with questioning this one?

Council-funded it says in The Argus, how about changing that to local taxpayer and business funded?

Once again an example of the council not really weighing up spending against return.

I wonder how many local residents and businesses were asked for their input before this expenditure took place? Not many, if any, would be my guess.

Yes, there are less cars travelling around at the moment, because the majority of people have got no work to go to.

This in itself makes it safer for cyclists at present, but losing 50 per cent off what is mostly a dual carriageway is daft.

The designated cycle paths on the seafront are only three roads away to the south.

Let’s be honest, if you are riding into Brighton or going out for some daily cycling exercise, you are going to go the scenic way, along the seafront, safely and appreciating the scenery, especially in fair weather.

Old Shoreham Road will be used by cyclists getting from A to B. Like I did getting from Hove Park Upper School back to West Hove as a kid.

Admittedly, it’s not the safest of roads for bicycles, having to ride up and down drain covers and through countless potholes on the poorly maintained roads, as you hug the kerb, keeping away from traffic over your shoulder.

How about making the pavements between Boundary Road and The Drive shared spaces for pedestrians and cyclists, but managed safely, big 10mph markings all along the route, deterring the speed merchant cyclists from injuring anyone.

Automated shared space signs flashing to remind everyone.

When the traffic lights at the Sackville Road junction were being overhauled a few years back, giving one line of road traffic in each direction, it added at least 15 minutes to a two-mile school run, giving you the option of sitting at the traffic lights for ten minutes in a huge tailback or driving northerly around Hangleton and Hove Park, coming back down Shirley Drive,which when the roads iced over in the winter was perilous for cars to try and navigate the inclines and declines from start/stop moving.

I witnessed a fair few simply sliding out of control with no brakes available. Stop trying to penalise car drivers all the time who, let’s be honest, keep huge numbers of people employed at car dealerships, manufacturers, repair garages and so forth and pay billions of pounds annually in tax on petrol and VAT alone into the economy to pay for schools, hospitals, the NHS and countless other services that everyone reaps the benefits from.

Lockdown is starting to lift, when the schools are back open for all, Old Shoreham Road will again become a busy route. The options will be, one lane of traffic and loads of pollution from tailbacks and slow moving traffic, or paint over the cycle line markings in the road and try not to remind anyone what a waste of money they were.

Gordon White Portslade