Newport bike path could be more hassle than its worth

Found on Devon Place leading to Mill Street behind Newport's train station in Allt-Yr-Yn, the path does not run continuously for the entire length of the road, forcing cyclists to leave and then re-join the main road.

Allt-Yr-Yn ward member Cllr Matthew Evans said: "It’s a stop-start and impossible for cyclists to use. It seems like a non-sensical waste of money".

Is this the most useless bike path in Newport? (Image: Google)

With a one-way system and a 20mph speed limit in place on the road, Cllr Evans said: "it’s like a bus lane. If you have a bus lane it needs to be continuous rather than going in and out to join the main traffic".

Cllr Evans goes on to say "there doesn’t seem to be any point" and "it's an absolute mess and waste of time".

A spokesperson for Newport City Council has said the cycle path does not "end abruptly", going on to say the "segregated cycle space was created where there was availability.

"However, there are sections where this was not possible because of the restricted width of the road/pavement or where on-street parking had to be retained".

When asked when plans were put in place for the bike path, Newport City Council's spokesperson said: "The cycle route linking Shaftesbury to Allt-yr-Yn and the city centre was first planned as a pedestrian and cycle improvement scheme for the Gold Tops area.

"It now also links to the new bridge over the railway line".

The council says they aren't aware of any negative comments from cyclists, stating: "Initially, we did get comments from some people who felt they had lost parking space because of the segregated cycle lane".