The new cycleway being created in the south has been poorly thought through, Rushen MHK Juan Watterson said.

And he said there has been no communication with local politicians - including himself - who were involved when it was discussed 10 years ago.

The route will run from the bottom of Fisher’s Hill to the bottom of the hill near the Shore Hotel, and will be shared by cyclists and pedestrians.

It is part of the Department of Infrastructure’s Active Travel strategy to encourage walking or cycling instead of driving. Mr Watterson said the cycle lane should have been on the landward side of the road ’where the pavement is barely used’ rather than the seaward side.

’If you’re going at a fair clip you’re going to use the road to cycle to work,’ he said.

’It ends at Fisher’s Hill, so they won’t want to get off their bike and cross the road (to continue on the road to Castletown). What use is that?

’We looked into following it to Pooil Vaash, using the coastal path, but the money ran out.’

He said it is an ’under-considered scheme’.

’I spoke to DoI about this in 2009, nothing for 10 years, and now something that could have been done better with a bit of local input!’

Phil Gawne, Arbory Commissioners’ clerk, who was infrastructure minister at the time, said extending the scheme to continue at Pooil Vaaish was dismissed as ’impractical’ due to the narrow road and footpat).

DoI Minister Ray Harmer said an extension will be considered in the future.