I COULD not believe my eyes when I read that half a million pounds had been allocated to fund two new cycle routes to improve access to York Station (The Press, December 10).

We are facing our darkest times in recent years, with cutbacks across the public and private sectors – and yet our council deems it necessary to spend this obscene amount money on something that might benefit a couple of dozen cyclists.

Essential services are being cut to the most vulnerable in our society but life for the cyclist must be made easier; what planet are these people on?

This money would be much better spent on the chronic car congestion in the station. The original alteration was done with no regard to the taxi drivers, their passengers or the people who use the short stay car park and has caused massive p-oblems – problems that will not go away.

The people of York should demand to know the exact number of people who use a bike on a daily basis, and for those results to be published, unedited by either this paper or Steve Galloway – and let’s see the truth of the matter!

Judith Morris, Moorland Road, York.

A spokeswoman from Cycling City York said:

“The improvements carried out at York Railway Station were the result of joint working between East Coast, Cycling City York and City of York Council. They will benefit pedestrians and disabled people, as well as cyclists, by making it easier for them to access the station.

“The funding contributed to the project by Cycling City York and the council did not come from money paid in taxes by York residents, but was allocated by central government for use on transport projects.

“Many York residents have wanted to see these improvements for years; the work was carried out in response to feedback and, on the whole, people have been extremely supportive.”