WHEW, what a relief! Clifton Green cycle track has been pronounced a success by transport chiefs.

At £540,000 for a single cycle track it jolly well should be, and with knobs on.

The reported fantastic growth in usage of up to 113 per cent is just cause for rejoicing by the cycle lobby.

By the same rule, an increase of 80 per cent in the estimated cost is not (for any of us).

We should be enlightened as to just what 113 per cent represents? If this, for instance, represents a hundred cyclists then the investment per cycle is £5,400 per head, not as a good deal as it would be if the number were to be one thousand at a mere cost of £540 per cyclist.

Claiming such success on the basis of pure percentages is a pretty thin argument to put forward in the face of such resolute criticism from the local inhabitants.

If the transport chiefs wish us to go along with their claims, they should hang some actual numbers on their argument if they want to prove their case and win their argument.

We might all be a bit daft at times, but we did not come up the Ouse on a bike.

JA Whitmore, Springfield Road, York.

• Ruth Stephenson, head of the transport planning unit at City of York Council, said: “The Water End cycle scheme included more than the cycle route. Included in the overall cost is the upgrade of two signalised junctions and a new toucan crossing.

“Actual figures were included in the report and on average there are an extra 130 cyclists in each direction every day.

“This is expected to increase when the orbital route is completed.

“In terms of the numbers, it will always look expensive per cyclist per day, but on an annual basis or over the life of the scheme the cost per trip is much more reasonable.

“There are also health and air quality benefits from the switch to cycling.”