An £1 million footpath and cycle scheme has been branded a "white elephant".
The scheme aims to provide a shared use pedestrian and cycle pathway along part of the A5117 corridor between Ellesmere Port and Thornton-Le-Moors in Cheshire.
Forming part of National Cycle Route 5, the project began in September and had been due for completion in Spring this year, although there were delays due to ground conditions after covid-19 restrictions were eased in the run up to Christmas, Cheshire Live reports.
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Elton resident Harry Turnball says he has been monitoring its usage after been recently completed and claims it is 'negligible'.
He said: "This pavement is essentially a £1 million white elephant.
"There isn't even proper signage encouraging people to use it, nothing on the council website or in the press. Then it took six months longer than proposed.
"They did say they would monitor usage but the only person doing that appears to be me.
"I have been monitoring the £1 million pavement and its usage is negligible and all those guys in the professional cycling gear still use the lane with broken white lines which existed before.
"Truly a white elephant. I'm still waiting for an explanation on the six-month delay and whether it affected the overall budget.
"Where I've lived previously, people would get very worked up about disruptions to local life, it seems here it's more laissez faire."
Cheshire West and Chester Council has said that the scheme is not yet deemed completed as signage has yet to be installed.
The council explained that signage will be installed 'this week' and officers will be monitoring usage once signs are in place.
Deputy leader of the council and cabinet member for Environment, Highways & Strategic Transport, Councillor Karen Shore, said: "The A5117 cycle improvement scheme provides a new 5km cycle route, with shared use pathway for pedestrians and cyclists along the northern side of the A5117 between Ellesmere Port, Thornton-Le-Moors and Elton.
"The new pathway funded by Local Growth Fund money from Cheshire and Warrington Local Enterprise Partnership and the council, and will contribute to west Cheshire becoming carbon neutral by 2045, as well as giving residents the opportunity to lead healthier lifestyles in a more well-connected and accessible borough.
"The funding was to address barriers to people, making it easier to access employment and education by cycling or walking.
"The new route provides residents with a safe walking and cycling route along this high-speed road, improving access to education, employment, retail and leisure in Ellesmere Port town centre, Cheshire Oaks and the Cheshire Science Corridor, and the wider industrial area.
"The route also offers direct access onto the canal towpath improvement scheme and links cyclists to the borough’s wider cycle network.
"New signage is being installed this week and we will be monitoring usage once the route is fully completed."
Elton ward councillor, Graham Heatley, has spoke of his support for the scheme describing it as 'fantastic' value for money for taxpayers.
He said: "I welcome the new cycle path along the A5117 and while I think it is fair to say the time taken to deliver the scheme and disruption to residents journeys during the construction phase have not met either my own or residents expectations it is a much needed improvement.
"I have had numerous residents and parish councils asking for this improvement over the years and it has now been delivered.
"In term of cost to CWaC council taxpayers it delivers fantastic value for money as a more than significant amount of the 1.044m investment came in grant funds with £344,548 match funding from the council.
"I have already seen the cycle path being used and the council will be monitoring and evaluating its use in due course.
"Most importantly if it means taking residents perhaps young, old or vulnerable off a busy road and onto a significantly safer pathway that could potently save someone from serious injury or loss of life due to a traffic accident I am more than happy to endorse this investment."
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