A DECISION on whether to press on with a controversial Andover cycleway along Weyhill Road is expected to be taken by Hampshire’s executive member for economy, transport and environment on Tuesday.

The county has estimated the cost of the scheme at £230,000. This information was revealed in a report released this week.

The report also said that only 13 responses were received about the proposal and of these 11 were supportive.

It also said that two residents opposed to the scheme had been in correspondence with the Andover Advertiser.

A check through our back issues revealed that 11 people have had letters published in opposition to the scheme in March and April alone. The three published in favour were all from local Conservative councillors.

The county council was asked to explain.

In response, Councillor Seán Woodward, executive member, said: “Thank you for bringing to my attention the section of the report which refers to the breakdown of the formal responses the county council has received.

“As well as those formal responses, I am also made aware of correspondence in the local newspapers through the routine daily media monitoring update I receive, so I do know about the other letters that have been published in the Andover Advertiser about the proposed scheme in Weyhill Road.”

The report also reveals that the police are in support of the scheme.

They have carried out a survey along the route, which shows that 25 per cent of cyclists are cycling on the pavement.

On investigation, the report says: ‘This was primarily due to the concerns of cyclists with the volume of traffic and lack of space given by motorists when negotiating the traffic calming’.

Cycle surveys are planned to measure take-up if the cycle-way is built.

According to the report, county councillor Pat West has given her approval of the measure but Councillor Tony Hooke has been critical.

He said: “It is a lot of money being spent on something only two or three people and a few councillors want.”