Dave Degan is quite right (More cycle lanes, Letters, July 31) that more must be done to encourage cycling and that the new short section on Wiggenhall Road, whilst welcome, is not enough.

All county councillors were given the chance to suggest three additional routes for consideration. Some 200 ideas are being looked at and clearly not all will be funded. The money can only be used for new schemes. Mind you the county record has not been great before Covid, as the Observer has reported, on maintaining existing ones.

On this front, only after pressure from myself and colleagues was the route along the A41 from Hunton Bridge to Ashfields, and along the A4O5 by Waterdale cleared so it actually can again by cycled along. It took months of complaints to get this done. It should not be like this.

Having cycled the Ebury Way, as Dave says it’s not user friendly. It’s uneven and often just a lose stoned surface which is dreadful for some cyclists and its signage is poor - especially at the Rickmansworth end.

As for new routes I have suggested along Thomas Sawyer Way (as this links to route 61) into the Health Campus and through to Holywell, Lower High Street from Dalton Way to Exchange Road, making the Water Lane junction cycle usable rather than so mess it is now. And why not join up the route from St Albans into Watford by completing the missing link by the former Garston Bus Garage site. As I am sure Dave would say it’s not rocket science but pedal power!

I and others will continue to campaign to ensure cycling and walking are top priorities, it’s both healthy and reduces CO2 emissions.

Cllr Stephen Giles-Medhurst

County Councillor for Central Watford and Oxhey