DEAR editor,

The flooding of the Ash Path between the Murch and St Cyres School has been an issue for years. South Glamorgan County Council deferred it till building of the Dinas Powys bypass across the field. That makes it 20 years ago.

Parent petitions for measures to deal with the flooding and soaking of kids' sock and shoes were ignored. We repeatedly asked for upgrading to a cycle route too. No money was the excuse.

But when the council suddenly found funding to erect a fence and replace the stiles, to protect against horses, they built the fence too close and included kissing gates to stop cyclists.

We caught them out when they suddenly claimed the path to be an 'existing' cycling route in their Active-Travel plans last November. At the same time they also decided not to include it as a walking route.

Embarrassed officers then decided in January to claim money from the Welsh active-travel funds and lower St Cyres school development to rectify their blunders. On past experience, they'll build the foot/cycle route without consultation, so probably omit lighting and continue it on their unsuitable line-on-the-map.

Their map shows the unsuitable narrow path behind the Murch Road houses as the cycle-route, rather than via Murch Road/Crescent itself or via Aberdovey Close and Castle Drive. For they design to keep cyclists separate from roads, rather than design roads to be safe for cycling.

That's why we get expensive disconnected bits of cycleway, like Eastbrook to (near) the Merrie Harrier with no continuation to Dinas Powys or link to Andrew Road and Cogan.

Cllr Burnett promised to talk with cyclists and re-start the long-closed Cycling Forum after her officials were caught out over the active-travel route mapping. We're still waiting for delivery of the promise, while they blunder ahead and commit more funds to badly-conceived schemes.

Max Wallis,

Westbourne Road,

Penarth