When is a cycleway not a cycleway?

Cyclists could be forgiven for taking to the road as usual rather than negotiating the new combined cycleway and footpath at Shore Road, Gansey - after bike signs were painted on and then promptly removed.

A spokesman for the Department of Infrastructure said the signs were ’not up to standard’ and would be corrected at the contractor’s cost.

She said: ’The cycle signs painted onto the footpath were not of an acceptable quality and the contractor was asked to remove them.

’The quality of the workmanship has been flagged as a defect under the contract and will be corrected at no cost to the taxpayer.’

Weather permitting, the markings will be replaced next week (beginning Monday, November 4), she added.

A scheme to resurface a 2km stretch of Shore Road and widen the footpath to create a combined cycle and pedestrian way cost a total of £861,000.

But it has left some confused as the path appears too narrow in places to take both bikes and walkers, particularly where the grass verge has been retained at the insistence of commissioners.

In any event, many cyclists would prefer to use the smooth newly resurfaced road than a cycle path that dips and narrows.

The work itself caused commuter disruption over two weeks last month.

It saw Shore Road between Kentraugh and Fisher’s Hill temporarily made one-way, southbound.

Northbound traffic was diverted through Colby and Ballabeg.

Arbory School headteacher Jonathan Ayres was concerned about the safety of children making their way to and from school.