I would like to ask why all this money is being spent on creating cycle lanes in Southampton, when cyclists don't use them and they make our roads significantly narrower?

On a recent trip down The Avenue, I noticed that what was once two lanes of traffic has been permanently reduced down to one to make way for the new cycle lane near Westwood Road and Winn Road.

This will create havoc and traffic chaos, especially during peak hours. How can such a major road in and out of the city be permanently reduced to single file traffic with narrow lanes that are not suitable for the wide lorries that travel to and from the city centre?

I would love to see two lorries passing each other along this section! There is a wide pavement along this section of road, could they not have taken some of this when they made the cycle lane and left wider lanes for traffic?

As I then made my way down Inner Avenue, I noticed cyclists still not using the new cycle lane and choosing to ride on the pavement instead.

I've regularly gone past this cycle lane and not seen it used much, along with the ones recently installed at Bitterne Park Triangle over Cobden Bridge. There has not been an increase in cyclists using the cycle lanes over Cobden Bridge, with the cyclists still opting for the road and pavement over the new cycle lane. I await to see if the new cycle lanes along Stoneham Way will be used very much, although I'm yet to see it.

So I ask, what's the point in building all these cycle lanes, causing traffic mayhem along major routes in and out of the city, permanently reducing two lanes of traffic down to one on a key city route, if the cyclists still don't use them, still ride on the roads and pavements and there hasn't been an increase in people cycling?

Sean Davies

Southampton