A £300,000 cycle path which opened six months ago already has hundreds of cracks and was branded a ‘waste of taxpayers money’ by locals.
The new mile-long path between Herne Bay and Whitstable in Kent was opened in April and now has highly visible cracks appearing along the route.
One resident counted 233 splits in the surface – some as wide as three inches.
Kent County Council led the project as part of a wider programme of improvements costing more than £300,000.
Sean Beaver, 44, of Herne Bay, regularly cycles on the path to visit his brother in Whitstable.
He said: ‘At this rate, the new path will be unusable in the next few months. It is really disappointing because that path is such a benefit.
A £300,000 cycle path (pictured) which opened six months ago already has hundreds of cracks and has been branded a ‘waste of taxpayers money’ by locals
Sean Beaver, 44, (pictured) of Herne Bay, regularly cycles on the path to visit his brother in Whitstable
Sean also noticed the edging of the path crumbling and took photographs showing the scale of the damage
‘Originally it was just a footpath. This is a waste of taxpayers’ money.’
Sean has also noticed the edging of the path crumbling and took photographs showing the scale of the damage.
He said the council are now attempting to fill the cracks in but it will only be a matter of time until they are back.
‘The whole thing is moving – over the last month they have gone from tiny little hairlines to three-inch cracks,’ he said.
‘You have to stick to one side when you are riding along – it is unsafe.’
The new mile-long path between Herne Bay and Whitstable in Kent was opened in April
Mr Beaver said: ‘The whole thing is moving – over the last month they have gone from tiny little hairlines to three-inch cracks’
Kent County Council led the project as part of a wider programme of improvements costing more than £300,000
The route along the Old Thanet Way opened in April after four months of construction, replacing an overgrown and impassable footpath.
Greenhill councillor Dan Watkins said the track has become a well-used route for pedestrians, cyclists, buggies and mobility scooters.
He said: ‘I was very disappointed to see the cracks in the path and have reported them previously to KCC, including the county councillor for the area.
‘I understand that such paths have a two-year warranty on them, precisely because underlying soil will expand and contract through the 12-month seasonal cycle following construction, making cracks very possible.
‘As such, the contractor will be asked to repair these sections.’
A spokesman added: ‘We are aware of damage to the path caused by clay ground conditions in the area and will be carrying out repairs to ensure the path is safe.
‘We will also work with our contractors to find a more permanent solution.’
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