Last Tuesday’s Devizes Town Council meeting was invited to consider the first stage in the re-development of the canal towpath from the Coate Road Bridge to the bottom of the Caen Hill flight.

The initial part, a £250,000 project, envisages the widening of the towpath to 2.1 metres between London Road Bridge and Park Bridge (on New Park Road leading to Quaker’s Walk) and ‘bonding’ to provide a smoother surface for cyclists.

The completed redevelopment, extending to Couch Lane, Northgate Street, the bridge on Bath Road and beyond requires the reprofiling of the canal bank between London Road and Couch Lane and the loss of grassy space leading to Northgate Street.

The whole of the cycle scheme is hailed as an essential element in the Devizes Transport Strategy by Cycle Devizes and the Community Area Transport Group.

It is intended to encourage more people to cycle to work and, ultimately, to make a contribution to improving air quality in the town. The project is jointly funded by Wiltshire Council (from developer contributions from residential developments in the town), the national cycling body Sustrans and the Canals and Rivers Trust, identified as the project manager.

The proposed budget for the competed works is forecast to cost around £1 million and to cost annually thereafter as much £40,000-50,000 in maintenance.

The project cost is more than twice that of any other transport project covering road improvements, support for public transport and improvements for pedestrians.

The expenditure of developer contributions by Wiltshire Council is regulated within planning agreements, which cannot offer money for community projects which would be more appealing and have wider potential benefit.

However, there is no evidence to justify the claim that the scheme would lead to a marked increase in the use of the towpath by cyclists or to consequential reductions in motor traffic through the town.

Some of the money (mostly developer contributions) would be lost to Devizes if the scheme does not proceed, but that is no reason for pushing ahead with a bad one.

It is assumed that the maintenance of the towpath would be undertaken by the Canal and Rivers Trust, an organisation which has its own funding problems and an inconsistent record in maintaining even the current towpath. Cyclists would use a hardened surface to ride much faster, to the detriment of pedestrians.

Devizes Guardians are disturbed by the potential loss of charm on the towpath, acknowledged as one of the great attractions in Devizes and the seemingly obscene amounts of expenditure on the project. Supporters claim that every little helps in improving air quality, statistics and trends for which are hard to come by. No doubt the community will let its elected representatives and this newspaper know how much the project means to them.

As things stand, the town council has deferred any decision until more facts are brought before it.

ND Carter, Chairman, Devizes Guardians.